20517 replies to this topic

[Strum Wealh]

Bishop Steiner, on 15 September 2013 - 03:17 PM, said:

they weren't in production until then. The Zeus-X started life specifically as a test bed for experimental weaponry. Hence, it is logical to assume these were prototype weapons. Though as with many late 90s Battletec things, the MRM30 bothers me, since that was specifically DCMS tech, and unliekly, even with the chumminess of Victor and Hohiro, to be shared with the AFFC, especially in a prototype form.

Experimental and Prototypes seldom actually conformed to "Legal" rules. And I would point out the MUL date, is from CGL, the "official" source of the Battletech IP (though obviously not at the time Maximum Tech was produced) so it is the "Correct" date, even if some of the Saran info is indeed headache inducing.

If you think this is bad, go look at Tales of the BWC sourebook from first Edition and the original game stats for the Super Griffin and Super Wasp, mechs with both SHS and DHS in the same chassis, among other things.

For that matter, the MAD-4X has both (twelve) SHS and (six) DHS on the same 'Mech (which, IIRC, is still currently illegal under both BT's unit construction rules and the unit customization rules), as well as a "prototype Endo Steel" structure (also used (along with prototype LB 10-X ACs) on Daniel Sorenson's custom Hatamoto-Chi - PES either (or both?) consumed more criticals or weighed more than standard IS Endo Steel (but still less than Standard Internal Structure), IIRC), and was built in 3039 and is featured on the cover of Experimental Technical Readout: Succession Wars I...

Perhaps CGL might be gearing up to introduce more "prototype" Tech 2 equipment as time goes on, and/or turning the construction and/or customization rules on their ears?

As for the Lyrans getting their hands on pre-production Draconian tech... it was Lyran agents who "acquired" the production data for the Mackie from the Terran Hegemony, as well as trained/inserted Snow Fire.
The LIC is certainly quite capable, yes?

[Tkhaw]

Strum Wealh, on 15 September 2013 - 04:44 PM, said:

For that matter, the MAD-4X has both (twelve) SHS and (six) DHS on the same 'Mech (which, IIRC, is still currently illegal under both BT's unit construction rules and the unit customization rules), as well as a "prototype Endo Steel" structure (also used (along with prototype LB 10-X ACs) on Daniel Sorenson's custom Hatamoto-Chi - PES either (or both?) consumed more criticals or weighed more than standard IS Endo Steel (but still less than Standard Internal Structure), IIRC), and was built in 3039 and is featured on the cover of Experimental Technical Readout: Succession Wars I...

Perhaps CGL might be gearing up to introduce more "prototype" Tech 2 equipment as time goes on, and/or turning the construction and/or customization rules on their ears?

As for the Lyrans getting their hands on pre-production Draconian tech... it was Lyran agents who "acquired" the production data for the Mackie from the Terran Hegemony, as well as trained/inserted Snow Fire.
The LIC is certainly quite capable, yes?

Yup, just like how they got stealth armors from the Cappellan Confederation...

[Bishop Steiner]

Tkhaw, on 15 September 2013 - 04:50 PM, said:

Yup, just like how they got stealth armors from the Cappellan Confederation...

Hey, competence doesn't mean you get to create EVERYTHING worth having. Part of it is recognizing when someone else ahs beat you to the punch and ... acquiring it.

[Tkhaw]

Bishop Steiner, on 15 September 2013 - 05:28 PM, said:

Hey, competence doesn't mean you get to create EVERYTHING worth having. Part of it is recognizing when someone else ahs beat you to the punch and ... acquiring it.

Though I must ask

Do Lyrans ever use stealth armor? Even after they stole from us?

[Bishop Steiner]

Tkhaw, on 16 September 2013 - 12:57 AM, said:

Though I must ask

Do Lyrans ever use stealth armor? Even after they stole from us?

Gotta hide the Atlases in our Scout lances somehow.........

(and we actually use it to hide the armored cars carrying all of our MONEY)

[Tkhaw]

Bishop Steiner, on 16 September 2013 - 12:59 AM, said:

Gotta hide the Atlases in our Scout lances somehow.........

(and we actually use it to hide the armored cars carrying all of our MONEY)

[Wieland]

Ens, on 15 September 2013 - 05:13 AM, said:

How could anyone NOT want this baby?!

Looks nice with the fins but is really bad when they are part of the Hitbox.

[Scrawny Cowboy]

Between the Victor and soon the Battlemaster, the Zeus really doesn't have much to offer other than a barrel missile arm like the Orion. Low on the order priority list for assaults imo, then again we'll have three very similar 55 tonners added in over the next few months so...

[Bishop Steiner]

B3RZ3RK3R, on 17 September 2013 - 10:53 AM, said:

Between the Victor and soon the Battlemaster, the Zeus really doesn't have much to offer other than a barrel missile arm like the Orion. Low on the order priority list for assaults imo, then again we'll have three very similar 55 tonners added in over the next few months so...

I think we are getting to the point where there is "little new under the sun", unless they want to release some multi- ballistic Assaults. So fan faves are as good an idea now as they are gonna be, IMO.

[Odanan]

Bishop Steiner, on 17 September 2013 - 11:04 AM, said:

I think we are getting to the point where there is "little new under the sun", unless they want to release some multi- ballistic Assaults. So fan faves are as good an idea now as they are gonna be, IMO.

"little new under the sun"?

[Bishop Steiner]

Odanan, on 17 September 2013 - 01:38 PM, said:

"little new under the sun"?

what does it do that the Atlas or Highlander doesn't, aside from weigh 95 tons?

[SgtMagor]

I thought today might be the day we see the Banshee

[Morang]

Bishop Steiner, on 17 September 2013 - 01:47 PM, said:

what does it do that the Atlas or Highlander doesn't, aside from weigh 95 tons?

Goes faster. Though hardpoints on most variants with high engine cap are terribad.

[Odanan]

Bishop Steiner, on 17 September 2013 - 01:47 PM, said:

what does it do that the Atlas or Highlander doesn't, aside from weigh 95 tons?

What other Assault does the Highlander doesn't?

[Dawnstealer]

Maverick01, on 28 August 2013 - 07:40 PM, said:

Let's take a look...

Lights(6)
Flea
Locust
Commando
Spider
Jenner
Raven

Mediums(9)
Cicada
Blackjack
Hunchback
Trebuchet
Centurion
Kintaro
Shadow Hawk
Wolverine
Griffin

Heavies(7)
Dragon
Quickdraw
Catapult
Thunder Bolt
Jagermech
Cataphract
Orion

Assaults(6)
Awesome
Victor
Stalker
Battlemaster
Highlander
Atlas

The medium roster is completely filled at 9 'Mechs. With that said, we should still expect another 2 Lights, 1 Heavy and 1 Assault. That will give us a total of 32 Inner Sphere BattleMechs. Below are my remaining picks...

Lights: Firestarter, UrbanMech
Heavy: Lancelot
Assault: Banshee

Thoughts?

Spheroid, on 28 August 2013 - 09:58 PM, said:

This - I would LOVE to see a Zeus and Cyclops in this game.

[Dawnstealer]

B3RZ3RK3R, on 17 September 2013 - 10:53 AM, said:

Between the Victor and soon the Battlemaster, the Zeus really doesn't have much to offer other than a barrel missile arm like the Orion. Low on the order priority list for assaults imo, then again we'll have three very similar 55 tonners added in over the next few months so...

It's an aesthetic difference, which I think should count for something. It would be cool to have a handful of mechs in each slot that are similar, so especially when hardcaps on the tonnage goes into effect, you still have a lot of variance in what the mechs look like. I'd love that.

[Strum Wealh]

B3RZ3RK3R, on 17 September 2013 - 10:53 AM, said:

Between the Victor and soon the Battlemaster, the Zeus really doesn't have much to offer other than a barrel missile arm like the Orion. Low on the order priority list for assaults imo, then again we'll have three very similar 55 tonners added in over the next few months so...

Well, let's look at what variants the Zeus could have available (based on timeline and tech appropriateness):

• ZEU-5T: x1 ERPPC (LA), x1 ERLL (LT), x2 MLas (LT, CT), Artemis-LRM-15 (RA); FF and DHS
  
• ZEU-5S: x1 UAC/5 (LA), x1 ERLL (LT), x2 MLas (LT, CT), Artemis-LRM-15 (RA); DHS
  
• ZEU-6S: x1 AC/5 (LA), x1 LLas (LT), x2 MLas (LT, CT), LRM-15 (RA)
  
• ZEU-6T: x1 PPC (LA), x1 LL (LT), x2 MLas (LT, CT), LRM-15 (RA)
  
• ZEU-9S: x1 ERPPC (LA), x1 ERLL (LT), x2 MPLas (LT, CT), CASE (RT), LRM-15 (RA); FF and DHS
  
• ZEU-9S-DC: x1 ERPPC (LA), x1 ERLL (LT), x2 MPLas (LT, CT), Command Console (HD), CASE (RT), LRM-15 (RA); FF and DHS

All variant mass 80 tons and have a top speed of 64.8 kph.

None of the variants are jump-capable, nor do they normally mount AMS, BAP, or ECM.
Though, the latter is unlikely to affect the ability to equip AMS or BAP, and the existence of a two -DC variants (the 9S-DC linked above, and the ZEU-6S-DC variant that sacrifices one of the Medium Lasers) could indicate the possibility of an ECM-capable variant.

Acording to the record sheets in RS:3039U (pgs. 249-252 of the 500-page PDF), none of the ZEU-5T, ZEU-5S, ZEU-6S, or ZEU-6T variants possess Hand Actuators, though all possess Lower Arm Actuators in both arms.

If the Zeus were to be implemented in MWO, I would imagine that it would be the ZEU-6S and/or ZEU-6S-DC (the "basic"/"default" variant), the ZEU-9S and/or ZEU-9S-DC ("the 3050 variant(s)"), and the ZEU-6T that would be implemented.

The -5S could be easily built from the minimum required hardpoints of the -6S (with the latter being the most common variant), and the -5T could be easily built from the minimum required hardpoints of both the -6T (the other Succession Wars variant) and the -9S (the "recovered LosTech" variant).
Moreover, the -9S could be easily built from the -9S-DC & vice versa (by removing/adding the Command Console and adding/removing a DHS).

Your thoughts?

[Antonio]

Bishop Steiner, on 17 September 2013 - 11:04 AM, said:

I think we are getting to the point where there is "little new under the sun", unless they want to release some multi- ballistic Assaults. So fan faves are as good an idea now as they are gonna be, IMO.

Multi-ballistic assault like King Crab!?

[Bishop Steiner]

Antonio, on 17 September 2013 - 04:36 PM, said:

Multi-ballistic assault like King Crab!?

just can't resist......


DUH DUH DUH!!!!
(Thanks Kiriage, sorry about killing you earlier!)

[FireSlade]

Bishop Steiner, on 17 September 2013 - 04:46 PM, said:

just can't resist......


DUH DUH DUH!!!!
(Thanks Kiriage, sorry about killing you earlier!)

Reminds me of the Dire Wolf. Any inspiration from it? Funny thing is I have yet to buy an Atlas due to it being just too slow, bulky, and humanoid for my tastes but that design I would pay $ for in a heartbeat. Honestly somebody needs to sit down with Russ and explain that we need more diverse mechs and I do not mean hardpoints. 20 mechs and all but 5 are boxy humanoid style legs.


Edit: If they did add this mech into the game, it would be cool if they implemented claws that opened and closed to protect the weapons like the CATs and some others do with the bay doors.

Edited by FireSlade, 17 September 2013 - 05:02 PM.