Anjian, on 04 August 2013 - 10:04 AM, said:
Odanan, on 04 August 2013 - 10:50 AM, said:
(it has that ugly beauty which Alex Iglesias works so well, tough)
The other issue with the Hoplite is that it is non-existent in the IS outside of the Wolf's Dragoons, and even they lack the facilities to replace any Hoplites that they lose - no one in the IS has built Hoplites since the fall of the Star League.
"While every Hoplite in the Inner Sphere was destroyed during the Amaris Crisis and the early Succession Wars, Aleksandr Kerensky's SLDF exiles found the simple and rugged design ideal for bolstering their forces in the months prior to the Exodus Civil War. Selected by the Wolf's Dragoons in the belief that the ancient design wouldn't arouse undue attention, it had the complete opposite effect, and only raised more questions as to the Dragoons' origins when they arrived in 3005. After the mercenaries cut ties with the Clan Homeworlds in 3020, they also lost access to replacement Hoplites, with attrition bringing the design close to extinction by the Jihad. During the Jihad, when the surviving Dragoons relocated to Arc-Royal, experimental refits were performed on the remaining Hoplites, which continued after the conflict's end."
By contrast, every 'Mech announced/implemented thus far is at least semi-common within the armies of at least two of the Successor States.
Though, do consider the variants that would likely be implemented:
- HOP-4A: x1 AC/10 (RT), x1 LRM-5 (LT), ~64 kph (Std 220 Engine), 99% of max. armor load [this variant is identical to the 4C, save the communication system]
- HOP-4B: x1 PPC (RA), x1 LRM-15 (LA), ~64 kph (Std 220 Engine), 99% of max. armor load
- HOP-4C: x1 AC/10 (RT), x1 LRM-5 (LT), ~64 kph (Std 220 Engine), 99% of max. armor load [this variant is identical to the 4A, save the communication system]
- HOP-4D: x1 LB 10-X (RA), x1 LRM-5 (LT), ~64 kph (Std 220 Engine), 99% of max. armor load
All but one variant are limited to ballistic/missile mixes (with the remaining variant being using an energy-missile mix), and none of the variants are jump-capable.
Make of that what you will.
Edited by Strum Wealh, 05 August 2013 - 03:50 AM.