109 replies to this topic

[Bishop Steiner]

Aside from a very bad nightmare?

Introducing the TRN-2S TARANIS

Tube artillery has always been important in Battletech, but extremely slow, and easy to hunt down. The Long Tom and Arrow systems were butchered pretty thoroughly in MW4 and MechCommander 2. And we have no clue what role artillery will play, if any, in MWO.

This was a design I came up with long long ago, that I finally decided to illustrate, but thought might also be a cool "template" for certain parts of role warfare, raining death from far, far away.

Spoiler

BFG-2s TARANIS

Tech Base: Star League
Type: Walker
Tonnage 100 tons
Chassis: Titan 450 Standard w/ Triple Strength Myomers
Power Plant: Magnum 400 Extra-Light
Jump Jets: Yes
-Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph (54.1 kph)
-Flank Speed: 64.2 kph (82.4 kph)
-Jump Capacity: 60 meters
Armor: Gothic Extra Heavy Standard
Armament:
- 1 Rolling Thunder 210mm Long Tom Artillery Rifle
- 4 Defiance B3M Medium Lasers
Manufacturor: Maverick Industries (Port Mosby, Lyran Commonwealth)
Communication System: Olmstead 855 Global Link
Targeting and Tracking System: ROMTECH 125 X Ballistix w/ Tharhes Ares 8 Short Range Tracker

Equipment Mass
IS: 10
Engine: 400 XL 26.5 (36.5)
-walk: 4 (5)
-run: 6 (8)
-Jump 2

Heat Sinks: 10 (20) 0
Gyro: 4 (40.5)
Cockpit: 3 (43.5)
Armor Factor: 224 pts 15.5 (59)
Internal Armor
-Head: 3 9
-Center Torso 31 39
-CT ® 10
-Right/Left Torso 21 25/25
-RT/LT ® 10/10
-Right/Left Arm 17 20/20
-Right/Left Leg 21 28/28

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
- Long Tom LA/LT/CT/RT 30 30 (89)
- Ammo (15) Long Tom RT 4 4 (92)
- Medium Laser (4) RL/RL/LL/LL 4 4 (96)
_ Jump Jets RT/RT/LT/LT 4 4 (100)

Critical Locations:

Head:
1: life support
2: Sensors
3: Cockpit
4: TSM
5: Sensors
6: Life Support

LEft Arm:
1: Shoulder Actuator
2: Upper Arm Actuator
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom
1: Long Tom
2: Long Tom
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom

Left Torso:
1: XL Engine
2: XL Engine
3: XL Engine
4: Jump Jet
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom
1: Long Tom
2: Long Tom
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom

Center Torso
1: Engine
2: Engine
3: Engine
4: Gyro
5: Gyro
6: Gyro
1: Gyro
2: Engine
3: Engine
4: Engine
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom

Right Torso
1: XL Engine
2: XL Engine
3: XL Engine
4: Jump Jet
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom
1: Long Tom
2: Long Tom
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom

RIGHT ARM
1: Shoulder Actuator
2: Upper Arm Actuator
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Ammo (Long Tom/5)
6: Ammo (Long Tom/5)
1: Ammo (Long Tom/5)
2: TSM
3: TSM
4: TSM
5: TSM
6: TSM

Left Leg
1: Hip
2: Upper Leg Actuator
3: Lower Leg Actuator
4: Foot Actuator
5: Medium Laser
6: Medium Laser

Right Leg
1: Hip
2: Upper Leg Actuator
3: Lower Leg Actuator
4: Foot Actuator
5: Medium Laser
6: Medium Laser

OVERVIEW:

Artillery has long been an essential element of war, but had always been one of the most problematic too, as the logistics of movement and resupply clashed with the increasingly mobile nature of warfare. During the 4th Succession war, House Davion's Regimental Combat Teams, again and again proved the superiority of the combined arms approach, but also shone a light on the glaring weakness of artillery, it's lack of mobility, inability to traverse difficult terrain, and the atmospheric limitations of the ICE engine.

Viscount Bishop Myers, a veteran of the 4th war, and engineering graduate of the NAIS exchange program with the Lyran commonwealth turned his attention to the problem with his first Battlemech design, the BFG-1S Taranis (originally designated TRN-1S). Named for the Celtic God of Thunder, it was designed to mate the power of the Long Tom with the mobility only a mech can provide. As a strong advocate of the combined arms approach, these units would become a fundamental piece of his order of battle and prove themselves, time and again during the war of 3039, when many less mobile artillery units were lost to Kurita, not a single Taranis was lost. Shortly thereafter orders started to flood Maverick Industries from the Offices of procurement for both House Steiner and Davion. The new Model 2S mates the latest in recovered technologies with some of the newest ideas brought forth by the NAIS.

Capabilities:
Affectionately known by it's designation "BFG" or "Big Frikkin' Gun",The TARANIS is meant as a support unit, but only the new experimental helicopters going through testing at the MI proving grounds can change position faster. This is due to the inclusion of the brand new 400 Magnum XL power plant, mated to NAIS' improved Triple Strength Myomers, allowing the mech to reach speeds of well over 80 kph during the heat of battle. Adding to the mobility, is the mech's ability to jump 60 meters, allowing it to clear most obstacles. The jump jets also are used as a brake for firing the Long Tom, helping negate the unbelievable recoil of this massive weapon. At precisely the moment the weapon fires, the advanced computers automatically fire the jump jets at a level angle. This weapon is fed by a unique. detachable double column box magazine, holding 15 rounds in 2 separate bins, allowing it to be loaded with mixed munitions. When empty the pilot merely has to flip a switch to jettison the empty magazine, which can be replaced with a fresh one in n about 15 seconds, if a trained crew with a loadermech or 2 handed battle mech is present to literally slap the new magazine home.

The mech makes use of the same basic communications suite as the Cyclops series of battlemech, insuring that it can always be reached for fire missions. The long Tom itself is is controlled through a modified ROMTECH artillery Ballistics computer, combined with the heart of a THARhes Ares battlecomputer, which primarily controls the hip mounted medium lasers in point defense, but also allows the TARANIS to level the Long Tom and direct fire at approaching mechs and units, if necessary. The concentrated fury of a long tom shell is usually enough to destroy most medium mechs outright, and will knock even an Atlas off it's feet, with critical damage. The Cannon cannot effectively be used against a moving target at less than 90 meters, but the TARANIS can compliment it's quad of lasers with devastating kicks, particularly when the TSM is engaged.

Deployment:
The Armies of the Federated Commonwealth deploys it's TARANIS mechs in the traditional role in it's artillery divisions, while they are used in lance sized units, usually 3 TARANIS, w/ a Hunchback added for close weapons support, and to use it's hands to aid in reloading the TARANIS magazines when they run dry. Future TO&E shows that Lt Col. Steiner is planning to further augment these units with the new Mockingbird fast VTOLs, equipped with the experimental new Arrow IV missile systems. (He has even been toying with Arrow equipped Aerospace fighters). The mobility of these units promise to force a total re-evaluation of combat doctrine, something of which Steiner is particularly pleased.

Variants:
The only variant to date is the original 1S model, which used no advanced tech. Gone are the Triple Strength Myomers. The 400 XL is replaced with a VLAR 300 Standard, downgrading it's top speed to 54 kph, the double heat-sinks are replaced with 18 standard. These are still being manufactured and, the plan is to continue to do so for clients, while they are opening an entirely new wing to produce the premium 2S once it has finished all it's shakedown trials, expected to be sometime in late 3050.


***Construction Note: This design was built using the Battletech Compendium:The Rule of Warfare (4th Edition) Level 2 Rules (circa 1994), and is no longer consistent with Current Tournament Rules. As of 1994 the rules stated (improper punctuation theirs): "The critical slots for AC/20 type weapons, Arrow IV missile systems, and artillery weapons (Long Tom, Thumper, and Sniper)can be split between two adjacent locations. For all other weapons and equipment, all critical slots must be in a single location" (page 102, paragraph 4). Due to the specific naming of the Long Tom piece (and noting the short barrel Long Tom Cannon did not exist yet, being ret-conned in much later), this "abuse" of the adjacent location rule was deemed legal for tournament play at the time. Of course... that was then, this is now, but for those who enjoy combined arm units for household games, I felt the design still had merit for home play.

We also have no clue about TSM, or such, but what are your thoughts about artillery in MWO?

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 29 July 2012 - 05:20 AM.

[Otto Cannon]

Artillery strikes will be called in by commander skills, so I don't think we'll need long tom mechs.

[Skadi]

Although it dosnt look like it could run that fast with those legs, i still like it o.O

[Bishop Steiner]

@SKADI
If you look closely, you will see that it is a tri-joint leg like on a nova cat ot thanatos. It gets over another full meter of extension at full speed, but is hunkered down for shock absorbtion in the picture.

[Dataman]

but this thing looks like painted with bullseye and scream 'SHOOT ME!!'

[Bishop Steiner]

Dataman, on 27 July 2012 - 08:02 PM, said:

but this thing looks like painted with bullseye and scream 'SHOOT ME!!'

sure... if you got a mech that can hit it at 30 kilometers away?

Didn't think so.

[Belial]

My Jenner has a new 'Mech on its menu.

[Akaryu]

well thats one mech i would care not to meet far as i can tell your only prayer is to close the distance quickly so that the splash damage from the long tom would damage it if it tried to fire at you and fire away while hoping for the best at least its a big target.

Edited by Akaryu, 27 July 2012 - 09:01 PM.

[Wydell]

With a close combat mech providing protection, that thing could be downright lethal on the field.

I like it.

[Project Dark Fox]

I'm curious as to why your jump jets take up two criticals each. They only take up 1, regardless of the 'Mech's mass.

[shameless]

reminds me of the Guardian mode of the old Robotech ATAC hover tank....

[Douglas Reichel]

This would be a great addition to a properly organized and prepped lance. Too bad it'll never be in the game. I think it could make for some serious fun.

[Telecleez]

another great lookin mech there Bishop maybe u should apply for a job w/ the MWO team designing the mechs

[Bishop Steiner]

Project Dark Fox, on 27 July 2012 - 09:10 PM, said:

I'm curious as to why your jump jets take up two criticals each. They only take up 1, regardless of the 'Mech's mass.

Krikey! You are indeed correct! When I was trying to mentally reconstruct it at work, I was wondering why I was having such a hassle making everything fit! (Bosses don't really smile upon me bringing sourebooks onto the sales floor for some reason. And since the original designs were on a computer hard drive I had to format a few years ago, it was a matter of re-inventing the wheel. Imma gonna hafta fixed that! Thanks for the sharp eye (at least one of ya actually looked over the build!)

That'll let me return the left should actuator cluster, which I had always used to elevate and depress the actual cannon barrel.

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 28 July 2012 - 06:07 AM.

[Bishop Steiner]

Otto Cannon, on 27 July 2012 - 07:54 PM, said:

Artillery strikes will be called in by commander skills, so I don't think we'll need long tom mechs.

Probably not, though I can always hope. Plus, this was designed back when MW2 was being developed. Some of us still play the TT, too!

[Comguard]

The TSM is pretty unusable on this design.

[Bishop Steiner]

Comguard, on 28 July 2012 - 06:10 AM, said:

The TSM is pretty unusable on this design.

Actually, it is very usable. If the Mech moves and fires the Long Tom, it will generate between 1-2 points waste heat per round (and more if the pilot disengages several heat sinks), beaning in short order the myomers will engage. This allows it extra speed to evade heavy m and hunters, the extra strength to kick lighter hunters to death. Since the only purpose is for when it's position is compromised, it serves exactly as meant, as well as just in "fluff" terms, helping to strengthen the design for dealing with the recoil of the cannon.

Until it's position is compromised, it would move little, if any, thereby generating no waste heat. But being able to outrun almost anything that could realistically hurt it, is somewhat important, and the survivability makes the cost well worth it, since if you read the source materials, Inner Sphere artillery units were amongst the worst gutted during the Clan Invasion, and Operations Bulldog and Serpent, due to their severe lack of mobility, and the Clan's rage and hatred toward the "cowardly" tactic. Clan forces seldom took Artillery crews prisoner, often slaughtering them to the last man.

Since even the basic Long Tom mobile cannon was rare, cost at least a million C-Bills and had a crew of 15, the TARANIS, while significantly more expensive (especially in 2S form) initially, is far cheaper to maintain and operate, being that you know are crewed by the Pilot, 1 Tech, and maybe 2 Astechs. Factor in the far enhanced survival record, and no, nothing is wasted, actually.

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 28 July 2012 - 06:58 AM.

[JFlash49]

those legs are kinda big...but still cool

[donkeybas]

For a proper, stable artillery piece, it would almost need a third leg, but I see what your getting at. Your supposed to use spoiler tags on long posts, to make a neater post, so I don't have to scroll through a giant list of loadout just to read the rest of what you had to say, fyi.

Edited by donkeybas, 28 July 2012 - 08:05 AM.

[Chief 117]

Bishop Steiner, on 27 July 2012 - 07:47 PM, said:

Arrow systems were butchered pretty thoroughly in MW4.

Lol no