99 replies to this topic

[Ryue]

Elyam, on 17 July 2013 - 11:56 AM, said:

-concept of tall humanoid vehicle being a stupidly obvious battlefield target or having a center of gravity that makes it too susceptible to certain attacks? As many or more positives can be brought up for the humanoid vehicle form, though the height is a definite negative without sufficient cover

You forgot something htere. The Neuro helmet is the feature compensating there as it uses the human head/brain to compensate for the shortcomings where mechs would normally topple over with ease.
(and tbh even in TT mechs topple over QUITE a lot)

[Mao of DC]

Strum Wealh, on 16 September 2013 - 08:53 AM, said:

1 metric ton ("tonne") = 1000 kilograms = 2,204.6 pounds
1 short ton (US ton) = 2000 pounds = 907.18474 kilograms
1 long ton (Imperial ton) = 2,240 pounds = 1016 kilograms

Weight of AS7-D Atlas = 100 metric tons = 110.23 short (US) tons = 98.42 long (Imperial) tons

Thanks I was basing my numbers on 1 Kg = ~2.2 pounds.

[Phero77]

Mechs are state of the art super tech, if one was brought back to our time. We probably wouldnt understand how they worked anyways...

[Mao of DC]

Phero77, on 05 October 2013 - 11:19 PM, said:

Mechs are state of the art super tech, if one was brought back to our time. We probably wouldnt understand how they worked anyways...

We would understand and could replicate some of the technology. The missiles system, the ballistic weapons, even the lasers and standard armor (which is very similar to what the Abrams tank uses). The myomer fibers can be reverse engineered easily as there is materials with similar properties being developed now. Things like the PPC and neurohelmet would give us fits. As for the engine fusion technology is still a few years off. Although places like NIF in the USA and other facilities around the world, are working to be the first to create a self sustaining reaction.

Edited by Mao of DC, 05 October 2013 - 11:59 PM.

[Phero77]

Mao of DC, on 05 October 2013 - 11:55 PM, said:

We would understand and could replicate some of the technology. The missiles system, the ballistic weapons, even the lasers and standard armor (which is very similar to what the Abrams tank uses). The myomer fibers can be reverse engineered easily as there is materials with similar properties being developed now. Things like the PPC and neurohelmet would give us fits. As for the engine fusion technology is still a few years off. Although places like NIF in the USA and other facilities around the world, are working to be the first to create a self sustaining reaction.

What about the stabilize tech, that prevent the mech from tipping over when hit by a heavy weapon, like the ac20. I know its science fiction but i still cant stop thinking what kinda tech, a machine like a mech would use to be, successful in furturistic battlefields.

[Poppaukko]

Phero77, on 06 October 2013 - 12:47 AM, said:

What about the stabilize tech, that prevent the mech from tipping over when hit by a heavy weapon, like the ac20. I know its science fiction but i still cant stop thinking what kinda tech, a machine like a mech would use to be, successful in furturistic battlefields.

Done, in a smaller scale

At 0:30.

[Skylarr]

Edited by Skylarr, 06 October 2013 - 03:51 AM.

[Mao of DC]

Phero77, on 06 October 2013 - 12:47 AM, said:

What about the stabilize tech, that prevent the mech from tipping over when hit by a heavy weapon, like the ac20. I know its science fiction but i still cant stop thinking what kinda tech, a machine like a mech would use to be, successful in furturistic battlefields.

Do you mean that new fangled device called the gyroscope. You are right we would never figure that out. All sarcastism aside mechs use gyros to stableize them.

[990Dreams]

Mao of DC, on 06 October 2013 - 10:29 PM, said:

Do you mean that new fangled device called the gyroscope. You are right we would never figure that out. All sarcastism aside mechs use gyros to stableize them.

And the human uses the neurohelmet for extended balance.

[Skylarr]

Quote

Gyroscope

The gyroscope is the device that provides the swift, fine changes in force necessary to keep a BattleMech upright. Even the best 'Mech actuators are too slow and imprecise to apply the force needed to keep a 'Mech upright. Without an active gyroscope a BattleMech can not move - it will fall over and will not be able to get up.

A 'Mech's gyro system consists of a balance-sensing mechanism and a force-generating mechanism.

Balance

A Battlemech's internal balance sensing component usually encompass a small computer in the cockpit incorporating balance-sensors. The sensors operate in differing manners - some use laser ring gyroscopes, or harmonic vibration gyroscopes, or even mercury bead setups. These sensors can also act as a 'Mechs inertial navigation system.

While an effective system for keeping the 'Mech upright, these balance sensing systems can be fooled fairly easily. High speed impacts, sudden changes in altitude, and especially the loss of one or more frames of reference (such as falling in mid air - the loss of gravity as a frame of reference).

Also, 'Mechs are not good at determining when they should be off-balance, which is surprisingly useful in combat. Leaning away from an attack, or leaning into a physical attack, and a myriad of other tactics are essential on the battlefield.

While it is not a part of the dedicated balance sensing system proper, the Diagnostic Interpretation computer, via it's vast network of status sensors, can compensate for incoming fire by having the 'Mech "lean into" it... the Diagnostic Interpretation computer also compensates for the recoil of the BattleMech's autocannons and other recoil generating weapons, in both instances in order to try and maintain the 'Mech's balance. However, it is the MechWarrior's sense of balance, as translated by the Neurohelmet, that handles what the balance sensors and Diagnostic Interpretation computer cannot cope with or predict for.

Force

Located in the torso is a multi-ton assembly of reaction wheels. Reaction wheels are spinning rings.
The gyro is made of two major assemblies. The first is the housing, made of a carbon nanotube reinforced polymer inner shell and a light ceramic outer layer. The internally mounted reaction rings are made of carbon nanotube reinforced graphite.
When a 'Mech loses its balance, the gyro mechanism will stop one of the (very) fast-spinning wheels and impart a reaction in the direction the wheel was spinning, or it will speed up a ring and as a reaction will impart a shove in the opposite direction of the push on the wheel.

Gyroscope configurations vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Most gyros have at least three reaction wheels set at 90 degrees to each other. Some gyroscopes mount the reaction rings in a free-spinning sphere in order to avoid the reaction wheels inhibiting a BattleMech's movement with unwanted gyroscopic effects. This design requires locking the outside sphere in order to use the reaction wheels. Some gyroscopes use six reaction wheels set up in three counter-rotating pairs, also to cancel gyroscopic problems. None of these designs is necessarily more capable than the others.

[Skylarr]

Marack Drock, on 07 October 2013 - 12:27 PM, said:

Guys just to let you know the heaviest Tank ever made weighed 125 tons.

Quote

Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus (Mouse) was a German World War II super-heavy tank completed in late 1944. It is the heaviest fully enclosed armoured fighting vehicle ever built. Only two hulls and one turret were completed before the testing grounds were captured by the advancing Soviet forces. An incomplete tank was captured by British forces.

These two prototypes – one with, one without turret – underwent trials in late 1944. The complete vehicle was 10.2 metres (33 ft 6 in) long, 3.71 metres (12 ft 2 in) wide and 3.63 metres (11.9 ft) tall. Weighing 200 metric tons, the Maus's main armament was a 128 mm KwK 44 L/55 gun (55 calibers long barrel), based on the 12.8 cm Pak 44 anti-tank artillery piece also used in the casemate-type Jagdtiger tank destroyer, with an added coaxial 75 mm gun. The 128 mm gun was powerful enough to destroy all enemy armored fighting vehicles at close or medium ranges, and even some at ranges exceeding 3,500 metres (3,800 yd).

The principal problem in development of the Maus was finding a powerful enough engine for its weight that could be carried in the tank. Though the design called for a maximum speed of 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph), no engine was found that could power the prototype to more than 13 kilometres per hour (8.1 mph) under ideal conditions. The weight also made it impossible to cross most bridges; it was intended to ford or submerge and use a snorkel to cross rivers.

Marack Drock, on 07 October 2013 - 12:27 PM, said:

Air Force 1 is over 3 blocks long and as tall as a 3 story building.

Did not know that. Thanks for the info.

Quote

General characteristics

• Crew: 26: 2 pilots, flight engineer, navigator, and cabin crew
  
• Capacity: 76 passengers
  
• Length: 231 ft 10 in (70.6 m)
  
• Wingspan: 195 ft 8 in (59.6 m)
  
• Height: 63 ft 5 in (19.3 m)
  
• Max. takeoff weight: 833,000 lb (375,000 kg)
  
• Powerplant: 4 × General Electric CF6-80C2B1 turbofans, 56,700 lbf (250 kN) each
  
• Zero fuel weight: 526,500 lb (238,800 kg)

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 0.92 (630 mph, 1,015 km/h) at 35,000 ft altitude
  
• Cruise speed: Mach 0.84 (575 mph, 925 km/h) at 35,000 ft altitude
  
• Range: 6,800 nmi (7,800 mi, 13,000 km)
  
• Service ceiling: 45,100 ft (13,700 m)

[Skylarr]

DavidHurricane, on 07 October 2013 - 06:17 AM, said:

And the human uses the neurohelmet for extended balance.

Quote

The Neurohelmet

The neurohelmet's main job is to enable the MechWarrior to control the balance of the BattleMech. The MechWarrior uses the neurohelmet to tell a 'Mech when and in what direction it should be off balance, and also to help the 'Mech regain its bearings when its balance systems cannot compensate enough for the 'Mechs conditions. The neurohelmet is also used as a part of the security system of a 'Mech. First, a pilot must match the neurohelmet tuning profile, or they most likely will not be able to plot the 'mech. Second, if a pilot does pass the 'Mech's security tests, the 'Mech's computers can use the neurohelmet to scramble a would-be thief’s brains.

Putting Data In

The massive neurohelmets of the succession wars, which sat on the shoulders and inhibited the MechWarriors ability to turn their head, compressed a 360-degree view from external cameras and sensors into a 160-degree HUD display in the helmet with the different firing arcs deliniated and having their own reticules for weapons in those firing arcs. More capable and more modern neurohelmets, such as Clan versions, are smaller and lighter, having large visors and while not requiring the old style HUD display in the helmet. Modern (post 3050) neurohelmets that do not have an internal hud can be modified to display one.

Neurohelmets also have audio systems which generate audible cues, alerting a MechWarrior to threats. Modern Neurohelmets generate these cues in three dimensions, allowing the MechWarrior to quickly locate a threat.

The first Star League did develop some very capable neurohelmets, the best of which were big clunkers used in aerospace fighters. Advanced neurohelmets are capable of providing sensor and balance information from the 'Mechs sensors to the MechWarrior. This "direct neural virtual reality" is very weak, because even the best neurohelmets cannot put enough signal power into the brain to overwhelm the natural biological sensory signals without cooking brain cells. This input limitation is due to the wireless method that neurohelmets use to send information into the brain cells.

Getting Data Out

Getting information out is far easier, being a passive process. The achilles heel of getting complex information out of a brain via a neurohelmet is that the complexity of the human brain, which makes it a hard thing to read. Because of this, neurohelmets "watch" a few specific centers of the brain which are easily translated into commands. The end result of this is an interface that makes it possible for MechWarriors to communicate their basic intentions to their 'Mech more quickly and clearly than speech controls would allow for. This overall process is not quick or smooth, but it does work. For instance, when charging at another mech, the pilot would use the neurohelmet to, at a very visceral low level, command the 'Mech to throw itself off balance towards the targeted mech.

Neurohelmets often include the ability to change communications channels by clenching and unclenching the jaw, or opening the mouth fully.

Fine Tuning

Because of the plasticity of the human brain in order to "watch" and transmit to the appropriate brain centers most neurohelmets have to be fine-tuned to each MechWarrior.

The Outside limits

While the neurohelmet can help translate the MechWarriors basic intentions to the BattleMech and give a small amount of feedback to the MechWarrior, they aren't capable of real-time "mind reading" that would be necessary in order to directly control a battlmechs movements, nor can they input enough data to a MechWarrior to replace the cockpit information systems.

The first Star League could not make helmets capable of this and neither can the Clans.

Edited by Skylarr, 07 October 2013 - 02:28 PM.

[Nebfer]

Strum Wealh, on 16 September 2013 - 08:53 AM, said:

"Standard BattleMech armor is composed of several layers providing various degrees of protection and support. The first layer is extremely strong steel, the result of crystal alignment and radiation treatment, which is also very brittle. The second layer is a ceramic, cubic boron nitride, which combined with a web of artificial diamond fibers acts as a backstop to the steel layer. These two layers rest atop a titanium alloy honeycomb structure which provides support, and a layer of self-sealing polymer sealant which allows for space and underwater operations.Standard BattleMech armor is composed of several layers providing various degrees of protection and support. The first layer is extremely strong steel, the result of crystal alignment and radiation treatment, which is also very brittle. The second layer is a ceramic, cubic boron nitride, which combined with a web of artificial diamond fibers acts as a backstop to the steel layer. These two layers rest atop a titanium alloy honeycomb structure which provides support, and a layer of self-sealing polymer sealant which allows for space and underwater operations."

Personally, I've always thought of armor points as some measure of thickness (millimeters or even centimeters, perhaps?) of the outermost, steel layer.

Well I often assume around a millimeter of armor per point, but thats a rather rough figure, mass to area ratios would indicate that mechs have armor thickness that are at best around an inch. Though it seems that raw thickness is less important in B-tech armor in any event.

Quote

From the previously-linked Wikipedia article:

• "The [M830] cartridge weighs approximately 53.4 lb (24.2 kg)."
  
• "The [M830A1] cartridge weighs 49.2 lb (22.3 kg), with the projectile accounting for 25.1 lb (11.4 kg)."

The per-shell weights being discussed include the weight of the casing, charge, the projectile itself, and so on - they are the cartridge weights, where the weight of the projectile can be as small as ~50% of the cartridge weight.



The weight difference between HEAT and APHE doesn't seem to be significant - one source cites the weight of the 122mm BR-471B APHE shell (used by the ISU-122, among others, diring WWII) as 24.9 kg, versus the 24.2 kg weight of the 120mm M830.

Well two things to note, BR-471B is APBC/HE, Most WW2 AP ammo had a small HE charge, even so their not proper HE rounds by any means. Second the 24.9kg weight for BR-471B is just the weight of the shell, it dose not include any propelling charges or cartridge case.

Karl Streiger, on 15 September 2013 - 10:42 PM, said:

Hm - next problem - the casing - the ACs use casings that have to eject after the shot:
The M830 did use a casing from celloulose or nitro cellulose - much lighter and there is hardly any ejectable casing left.
Including a case of braz that could be reused - the weight of a 120mm shell would highly increse.

Next thing is that AC ammunition is refered as AP HE - so a projectile will weight even more.
On the other side - its really easy to take the 8 metric tons of a AC 5 - and include one or multiple barrels - one or multiple reciver, some armor and a armored magazine including the ammunition - without any need of the additional ton of ammunition.

Standard B-tech auto cannon ammo is stated as HEAP, with the novels including a DU component. I doubt B-tech uses pre WW2 era ammo any way (Most country's used APC/HE ammo, or APCBC/HE ammo in WW2 rather than AP/HE, though the US and British did not use it as often as the Germans and Russians). In any case given the stated B-tech ammo I tend to view it as being related to the Mk 211 ammo used with 50 cal based weapons.

Strum Wealh, on 15 September 2013 - 12:42 PM, said:

On the other hand, the weight for the Marauder's shells seems to work out a bit better...

The Marauder's "GM Whirlwind" AC/5: 120mm autocannon that fires in 3-shell bursts per cassette/"round".
AC/5 ammo in BT comes in sets of 20 cassettes per ton.
(20 cassettes/ton) * (3 shells/cassette) = 60 shells per ton
(1000 kg/ton) / (60 shells/ton) = 16.667 kg per shell

By contrast, the M830 High Explosive Anti-Tank Multi-Purpose Tracer ("HEAT-MP-T"/"MPAT") shell fired by the M256 120mm Smoothbore Gun (the main gun on the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank) has a mass of 24.2 kg per shell.
Its successor, the M830A1 MPAT, has a mass of 22.3 kg.

The 7.53 kg difference between the Whirlwind's shells and the M830 (or the 5.63 kg difference between the Whirlwind's shells and the M830A1) could be attributed to (among other things) the much smaller propellant charge (which would, in part, serve as an in-universe explanation for the short effective range of the weapon, if one isn't using the "LOS range" rules from TacOps)...?

M829 weighs 18.7kg
M829A1 is 20.9kg, Sabot 9kg, penitrator 4.6kg (Sabot weight inclueds the penitrator in all cases)
M829A2 is 20.4kg, Sabot 7.9kg, Penitrator 4.9kg
M829A3 is 25.4kg, Sabot 10kg, penitrator ~7kg

KEW-A1 is 19.6kg, with sabot 8.4kg with a ~5kg penitrator
DM-53 21.4kg, Sabot 8.35kg, penitrator ~5kg

So that modern 120mm ammo can be a lot closer to what B-tech indicates from the Mads ammo usage.

[Bishop Steiner]

Nebfer, on 08 August 2013 - 05:50 PM, said:

Parden the spelling, but this is from my raw files... (txt files)

 
 
================================
Machineguns
================================
20mm Gatling			  = 20mm (TRO 3039) skorpion tank entry
M100					  = 12.7mm (leithal hearitage) -Phawk
Johnston minigun		  = 20mm (temptation by war) Ranger VV1 -discribed as caseless (ch 14)
Scattergun				= 20mm (temptation by war) DI Schmitt
22mm Gatling			  = 22mm (TRO 3075) JES 1 entry
================================
Class 2 Autocannons
================================
Whirlwind-L			   = 32mm (Binding force) BlackJack BJ-1
Whirlwind-L			   = 30mm (Threads of ambition) Blackjack BJ-1
SarLon					= 30mm (TRO 3026) Warrior VTOL
Thor RAC-2				= 40mm (TRO 3058) Warrior VTOL
Mydron Model D-rf (Ultra) = 20mm (Imminent Crisis) Jagermech III  
Mydron Model D			= 30mm (Threads of ambition) Jagermech
Defiance Shredder LBX	 = 20mm (Fortress republic) -Catapult
================================
Class 5 Autocannons
================================
GM Nova 5  Ultra	  = 50mm (Binding force) -cataphract
GM Nova 5  Ultra	  = 40mm (Illusions of victory) -Cataphract
GM Whirlwind		  = 120mm (Thunder ridge & Wolves on the border) -Marauder
GM Whirlwind		  = 50mm (killing field) -Marauder
Armstrong J11		 = 80mm or 90mm (Thunder ridge) -Shawdow Hawk
Imperator-A		   = 80mm (Price of Glory) -Riflemen
Whirlwind			 = 60mm (Price of glory) -Wolverine
Whirlwind			 = 90mm (Wolves on the border) -Wolverine
Imperator Ultra AC-5  = 80mm (Storms of fate) -Vulcan & Daikyu
Armstrong AC-5		= 50mm (Double blind) -Clint
Armstrong AC-5		= 105mm (TRO 3075) -Merkava Hvy Tank
Pontiac Light		 = 40mm (Illusions of victory) -Striker mech
Snake killer LAC5	 = 60mm (Battlecorps) -Shadowhawk-9D
Mydron Model RC RAC5  = 50mm (A call to arms & fortress republic) -Legionnaire & Rifleman
Mydron Tornado  RAC5  = 50mm (By Temptations and By War) -DI Schmitt
Defiance type J AC-5  = 75mm (Heir to the dragon) -Zeus 6S
================================
Class 10 Autocannons
================================
Luxor-D				= 80mm (Price of glory, Ghost of winter) -Centuien
Mydron Excel UAC	   = 80mm (Patriots and tyrents) -Enforcer
Mydron Excel LBX	   = 80mm (Patriots and tyrents) -Dragon Fire
Mydron Excel LBX	   = 80mm (Illusions of victory)  -Cataphract
Defiance Disintegrator?= 100mm (end game) -Banshee
Mydron Model B		 = 80mm (Flash point) -Bushwacker
Federated AC-10		= 80mm (Flash point) -Enforcer
Imperator Code Red	 = 100mm (Flashpoint) -Challenger MBT
KaliYama			   = 80mm (Illusions of victory) -Orion
Imperator Code Red	 = 80mm (Illusions of victory) -Emperor
Imperator-B			= 80mm (Warrior en Guard) Urbanmech (implyed to be similer in caliber as the Riflemen)
================================
Class 20 Autocannons
================================
Death Giver				= 100mm (Heir to the dragon) -Atlas
Pontiac 100				= 100mm (Heir to the dragon) -Victor
Armstrong				  = 120mm (binding force) -Von Luckner MBT
Chemjet					= 185mm (TRO 3026) -Demolisher I tank
Crusher SH				 = 150mm (TRO 3026) -Hetzer Assault gun (or 120mm Threads of ambition)
Defiance Thunder Ultra	 = 120mm (Patriots and Tyrants) -Blitzkrig
Defiance Disintegrator LBX = 120mm (Patriots and Tyrants) -Barghest -Illusions of victory & The Dying time as well
Kali Yama Big Bore		 = 120mm (Threads of ambition) -Thunder
Tomodzuru				  = 180mm (Era Report 3052) -Hunchback
Luxuor Devastator		  = 120mm (Storms of fate) -Typhoon UAV
Death Giver				= 120mm (Storms of Fate) -King Crab

================================
Unknown type
================================
Jagermech "500mm" AC (Double blind) -most likely a typo
Mackie 5S AC-5 = 110mm (Birth of a King)
Jagermech 7F RAC-5 = 80mm
Templar omni, Grayson config AC-5 = 40mm (Imminent Crisis)
Blackjack omni LBX-10 = 80mm

Clan
Type 9 UAC 10 = 75mm
Type 10 UAC 20 = 120mm
Type 20 UAC 20 = 200mm
Type 25 UAC 2 = 50mm
Type 31 UAC 5 = 40mm
Type Kov LBX-10 = 75 or 150mm (same book two diffrent vehicles)
Type Covr-X 40mm

Wolves on the border LRMs = 75mm catapult ch 19
Gauss rifle = 10cm -starlord ch 2
infantry HMG "spanner" 15mm (not sure where this one is from)
Shrapnel mentions HE shells, a gray death book also mentions HE rounds...
blood legacy, unknown vtol, door mounted rotary 12.7mm MG
The Dying time, jeep mg = 13mm 43 gram -recount of thunder rift (1500 RPM)
temptation by war, ryoken II MGs = 20mm (likely AC-2s, as I do not think it has MGs)
patriots stand, generic gun trucks, 20mm "Gatling" MGs
flight of the falcon, mining mech mod, twin 50 cal MGs
Their are a few more but this is most of what I found, as one can see their is a few contradictions.

nice list.


2 things I either missed or might be missing
I believe the old MW 2nd Edition listed the Timber Wolf's machine guns at 20mm
And the Ebon Jag A carries a 203mm UAC-20 according to Sarna, though I am not sure of the Source, since I don't thing the caliber is given in my TRO, beyond "mammoth".

[Sarlic]

The Atlas looks like a 200 ton.

[Rushin Roulette]

Actually the Mechs weight is lowered through light gasses in the Torso Arms and Cockpit.

We used to use Helium, but they tended to explode spectactularily if the Mech overheated too much or the Pilot wanted a smoke break (And some shmuck wrote terrible books about that effect... thank you very much Mr. Stackpole for the terrible misinterpretation as to why they exploded).

After one too many Stakpole novels we changed the method and filled them with Helium instead... now we only have trouble because the AStechs cant stop laughing long enough to actually fix the mechs fast enough.. I mean seriously an angry clanner with a Mickey Mouse voice is absolutley hilarious... Try to imagine Mickey saying "You will pay vor this Adam Steiner!"

P. S. Why do all these Authors always misinterpret us so badly? Only once we stuck a few feathers and a spear on a Raven for a practical joke and some other Author went and wrote Far Country... Why do such a thing?

Edited by Rushin Roulette, 08 July 2015 - 04:18 AM.

[Nebfer]

Bishop Steiner, on 08 July 2015 - 03:43 AM, said:

nice list.


2 things I either missed or might be missing
I believe the old MW 2nd Edition listed the Timber Wolf's machine guns at 20mm
And the Ebon Jag A carries a 203mm UAC-20 according to Sarna, though I am not sure of the Source, since I don't thing the caliber is given in my TRO, beyond "mammoth".

Well I would not know where that 20mm MG for the T-Wolfs MGs is located, I do know about the Caldron Born's 203mm based AC however.

The source is the Battle of Luthien Soucebook (where the mech originates from)
The Prime Config actually has a 75mm LBX-5 AC
Alpha Config Has the 203mm UAC-20
Charlie Config mounts a pair of 25mm high speed "Chainguns" (UAC-2s)

The Nobori-nin Bravo Config mounts a rotary 11mm Machine gun

[Aggravated Assault Mech]

Corusmaximus, on 12 July 2013 - 01:37 PM, said:

So I am a little baffled by the weight scale of the mechs.

Modern tanks weigh almost as much as a heavy mech, and a few are heavier than assaults.
M1 Abrams weighs about 68 tons.
The French FCM-F1 was 138 tons (circa 1940).

Yet the Atlas weighs only 100 tons. Makes no sense. Are these things made of plastic?

The M1 Abrams has frontal armor that is equivalent to like 800mm+ of rolled plate, roughly 8x the thickest part of a tank (FCM-F1) that weighed twice as much. It also goes what.. 4x faster? Has a gun that is literally more than an order of magnitude more powerful?

Technology improves and frankly the weight of the mechs themselves is one of the least unrealistic things about the Battletech universe.

[Vanguard319]

If I remember right, the internal structures of battlemechs is not unlike foamboard: essentially a layer of foamed Aluminum sandwiched between two layers of steel or titanium, and like foamboard, you get strength without excess weight.

[kosmos1214]

Vanguard319, on 21 September 2015 - 10:11 AM, said:

If I remember right, the internal structures of battlemechs is not unlike foamboard: essentially a layer of foamed Aluminum sandwiched between two layers of steel or titanium, and like foamboard, you get strength without excess weight.

yep pretty much