73 replies to this topic

[Karl Streiger]

- the Grand Dragon - is called Flame - 1 ERPPC, 3 MLAS and a LRM10 - although you have to sacrifice speed for more heat sinks.
was once - long long time ago one of my fafourites (till February 2012)

Grand Crusader - for the Win - but forgot time line - want have a company of Deva

[Tennex]

would love it if grand dragon used a different model

[CocoaJin]

Matthew Ace, on 09 January 2015 - 02:14 AM, said:

Grand dragons are Dragons too.

Me? I want to see the Venom. Count it as a Spider.

El Bandito, on 09 January 2015 - 02:21 AM, said:

2 variants are fine. The Grand Dragon is just equipment upgraded regular Dragons. Therefore the chassis size and hitboxes are exactly the same. PGI can just add those two variants on top of the Dragon variants we got.

Correction: The following statement is only applicable after 3071.
Technically, it's a different chassis. It had a re-engineered chassis to improve torso twist limits.

[SgtMagor]

did MWO already have the Grand Dragon, and they moth balled it ?

[CocoaJin]

SgtMagor, on 09 January 2015 - 02:11 PM, said:

did MWO already have the Grand Dragon, and they moth balled it ?

No, but I think one of the current variants(edit: the Flame) could be sort of made into a make shift Grand Dragon...I remember I was considering it as a build recently. Two of the laser placements wouldn't be correct though.

Edited by CocoaJin, 09 January 2015 - 02:55 PM.

[Matthew Ace]

CocoaJin, on 09 January 2015 - 02:01 PM, said:

Correction: The following statement is only applicable after 3071.
Technically, it's a different chassis. It had a re-engineered chassis to improve torso twist limits.

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Grand_Dragon

Originally the Grand Dragon used the same Alshain Type 56-60H chassis as was found in the Dragon 'Mech it replaced. However, when the new Nykvarn plant was being set up an innovative engineering team came up with a way to increase the Grand Dragon's rotation from 250° to 300° by using an alternative assembly method for the hip and torso structure. This improvement was responsible for Nykvarn being awarded the honor of restarting Grand Dragon production, with all new Grand Dragons using this Nykvarn Type 58-66SH chassis.^[6]

And under DRG-1G:
Arguably the original Grand Dragon produced in 3024, this 'Mech is little more than a variant of the Dragon. The 'Mech is armed with a PPC, LRM-10 launcher, and a trio of medium lasers split between the left arm, right torso and rear left torso. It is also only capable of achieving a top speed of 86.4 km/h, as it employs a standard fusion engine due to the technical imitations of the Third Succession War. BV (1.0) = 997^[2], BV (2.0) = 1,300^[7]

So my question: When did the Nykvarn plant thing happened?

[Bishop Steiner]

Matthew Ace, on 09 January 2015 - 04:47 PM, said:

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Grand_Dragon

Originally the Grand Dragon used the same Alshain Type 56-60H chassis as was found in the Dragon 'Mech it replaced. However, when the new Nykvarn plant was being set up an innovative engineering team came up with a way to increase the Grand Dragon's rotation from 250° to 300° by using an alternative assembly method for the hip and torso structure. This improvement was responsible for Nykvarn being awarded the honor of restarting Grand Dragon production, with all new Grand Dragons using this Nykvarn Type 58-66SH chassis.^[6]

And under DRG-1G:
Arguably the original Grand Dragon produced in 3024, this 'Mech is little more than a variant of the Dragon. The 'Mech is armed with a PPC, LRM-10 launcher, and a trio of medium lasers split between the left arm, right torso and rear left torso. It is also only capable of achieving a top speed of 86.4 km/h, as it employs a standard fusion engine due to the technical imitations of the Third Succession War. BV (1.0) = 997^[2], BV (2.0) = 1,300^[7]

So my question: When did the Nykvarn plant thing happened?

Just like the Dragon the Grand Dragon quickly became a favorite in the DCMS, with nearly every line unit fielding a company of either design. Production of the Grand Dragon continued unabated until the Jihad, when the the Word of Blake devastated LAW's factories in 3068. It took two years for LAW to get new Grand Dragon factories up and running, the first on Nykvarn followed by Abiy Adi and Savinsville, and ensure the continued use of the 'Mech in years to come.[6]

So, while the Grand Dragon was available long before that, the "improved" Chassis version first arrived no earlier than 3070. Sadly. (actually, 3071, according to the DRG-9KC fluff)

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 09 January 2015 - 04:54 PM.

[C E Dwyer]

I might buy them however
I want to see a

Wolverine and Thunderbolt Hero

Also the Cyclops, and the Urby in game before I considered them worth splashing out mechbays for.

Been wondering what the new mechs will be after the resistance package, and if I can be bothered with 'package deals' anymore, and I'd be very unlikely to buy any of the power creep newer designs, as frankly I think they're pants. ( though the KCrab 3d model proved very good and as I was getting one, I might as well master it )

Unless the miracle happens and a deal can be cut with Harmony gold (Ha ha yes pigs might fly) I honestly can't see me spending cash for bays or on Any mech thats not covered in the first addition TRO3025, though you can keep the four leggers and the Ost builds

Have to say I'm struggling to find a point in clan Hero's they would have to be some pretty snazzy colour schemes to make me look twice, unless they came with some very nice pods, which is unlikely or the P2W crowd will start crying.

Edited by Cathy, 09 January 2015 - 05:17 PM.

[KhanCipher]

We won't get the Grand Dragon for the same reason we won't get the VTR-9A (take the VTR-9B and add 2 flamers to the RT and 2 MGs to the LT, and you'll see why we'd never get it), and ultimately it's the same reason that i have a hatred of the concept of hero mechs (*cough*CN9-YLW when it was released).

[FupDup]

KhanCipher, on 09 January 2015 - 05:38 PM, said:

We won't get the Grand Dragon for the same reason we won't get the VTR-9A (take the VTR-9B and add 2 flamers to the RT and 2 MGs to the LT, and you'll see why we'd never get it), and ultimately it's the same reason that i have a hatred of the concept of hero mechs (*cough*CN9-YLW when it was released).

Technically in terms of that Victor, we already have the KC that gave the IS an assault that can carry dual heavy ballistics, so the precedent is set...

[Bishop Steiner]

FupDup, on 09 January 2015 - 08:12 PM, said:

Technically in terms of that Victor, we already have the KC that gave the IS an assault that can carry dual heavy ballistics, so the precedent is set...

does the KC jump?

Fear of the Poptart man....fear of the poptart....... (not really justified anymore, but well, you never know what they're gonna OOPS next.)

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 09 January 2015 - 08:21 PM.

[FupDup]

Bishop Steiner, on 09 January 2015 - 08:20 PM, said:

does the KC jump?

Fear of the Poptart man....fear of the poptart....... (not really justified anymore, but well, you never know what they're gonna OOPS next.)

The Victor doesn't jump either, it hovers.

This of course resurrects the dead horse about trying to balance poptarting (and/or convergence) itself rather than just nerfing JJs to cover it up...

[KhanCipher]

FupDup, on 09 January 2015 - 08:12 PM, said:

Technically in terms of that Victor, we already have the KC that gave the IS an assault that can carry dual heavy ballistics, so the precedent is set...

it was more that the VTR-9A is pretty much a Dragon Slayer that can carry an AC20.

[Tennex]

Would like to see it with one of these other models..

[Mavairo]

I would buy the Grand Dragons. Especially if that means moar energy hardpoints.
...or even better some ST missile ports for torpedo work. (SRMs)

Edited by Mavairo, 11 January 2015 - 09:53 AM.

[NextGame]

El Bandito, on 08 January 2015 - 09:47 PM, said:

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Grand_Dragon

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Commando

Since Grand Dragon is nothing more than upgraded Dragon chassis and the same goes for COM-5S, PGI does not have to design new mechs from scrap while enlarging the mech selection.

Granted, the upgraded versions do not have any noticeable hardpoint differences compared to the old versions--except Grand Dragons have energy slots on right and left torso, and has higher engine rating--but PGI had done hardpoint inflation to differentiate mechs; Grasshopper being a good example. Perhaps making Grand Dragon variants to have better laser vomit potential or shift the missile hardpoint to a slot where it can fit larger launchers.

There lies the question though: If PGI releases DRG-1G, DRG-5K, and COM-5S with slightly different/inflated hardpoints, would you buy them?

Yes, theres no reason not to flesh out the IS roster, especially considering that these are mechs that shouldnt need the full whack of development time to bring about (Also Venom the 35t spider-with-wings). No doubt there are other mechs in a similar position out there that could be implemented relatively cheaply.

[Karl Streiger]

NextGame, on 22 January 2015 - 04:25 AM, said:

Yes, theres no reason not to flesh out the IS roster, especially considering that these are mechs that shouldnt need the full whack of development time to bring about (Also Venom the 35t spider-with-wings). No doubt there are other mechs in a similar position out there that could be implemented relatively cheaply.

Aye- Caesar for example using the Catapract - you only need to modify the right arm and the cockpit

[Rear Admiral Tier 6]

Laservomit dragon? yes please,enginecap to 380 thank you!

And give it 4 torso energy hardpoints,2 at both sides like the 1C has.

[Wildstreak]

I came to the conclusion some time ago that if you can make a variant out of one that already exists in game, odds of getting it separate are low.

[Sevronis]

Actually I was looking at the Grand Dragon today. The DRG-5K would itself be a nice variant to round out the DRG variants we already have. It has an energy based RA instead of ballistic, just like the Flame does, however, the fact that it can mount at least 1 energy in both side torsos can also give the DRG a high mount snipe on both sides. That and it also comes stock with a 360XL (maybe could even have a max engine cap of 400 for S & G's to recall back to the Dragon Bowling days lol)

As for the DRG-1G, which is the 'original' Grand Dragon, it has the same weapon placements, just a normal PPC rather than ER, and would be slower as it uses a STD engine stock. However, to make even this variant viable, could either add at least one missile hard point into one of the side torsos (keeping the CT one thats present on all DRG, giving the DRG a mini LRM boat variant) or moving the CT hardpoint to the torso.