7732 replies to this topic

[Bishop Steiner]

Featherwood, on 25 January 2014 - 10:18 AM, said:

Yeah! Even myself would buy a damned hero Urbie.
I wonder if PGI will pay Ironhawk royalty for preemptive Urbanmech design and concept art, they hardly needed to make another one.

I think even IH voted for my Deputy Dawg urbie hero, though that was so long ago, I could be wrong.

[Max OConnor]

I took my favorite parts from two images of the Hunchback and combined them into what I think is the best version of this mech I can imagine. The body is an early sketch from Flying Debris and I took the arms and AC20 from his final version of the MWO Hunchback. Personally I think this looks better than the one he did for MWO. I pulled the arms and AC from a repaint on this forum, but I have not had any luck finding who did it, so I would like to credit that artist if you know who you are, please post so I can correct your info. It might be Ironhawk's work but I couldn't find this particular image online.
Anyway, here is the image.

[Odanan]

Hayden, are you there?

I just finished the 2nd BT book and if you guys at PGI are looking for a Battlemaster hero mech, you should consider the Hanse Davion's personal mech, the "Starbird". It would be pretty majestic with golden yellow/red painting and sun motifs (something like the details in the shoulder of this Hanse's uniform).

Edited by Odanan, 27 January 2014 - 04:20 AM.

[Mark Hayden]

Odanan, on 27 January 2014 - 04:01 AM, said:

Hayden, are you there?

I just finished the 2nd BT book and if you guys at PGI are looking for a Battlemaster hero mech, you should consider the Hanse Davion's personal mech, the "Starbird". It would be pretty majestic with golden yellow/red painting and sun motifs (something like the details in the shoulder of this Hanse's uniform).

For my personal reference, which book did you find this in?

[Alaskan Nobody]

Odanan, on 27 January 2014 - 04:01 AM, said:

Hayden, are you there?

I just finished the 2nd BT book and if you guys at PGI are looking for a Battlemaster hero mech, you should consider the Hanse Davion's personal mech, the "Starbird". It would be pretty majestic with golden yellow/red painting and sun motifs (something like the details in the shoulder of this Hanse's uniform).

Mark Hayden, on 27 January 2014 - 03:37 PM, said:

For my personal reference, which book did you find this in?

Seconding that request.

[Spokes]

Hanse Davion pilots the 'Mech briefly in Stackpole's "Warrior: Coupe" (Chapter 42, pg 258 of the 10th Anniversary Ed.), but there is no description of the machine beyond the fact that it's a BattleMaster.

I am virtually certain that the 'Mech features in the very first book, "Sword and Dagger", but that's the one novel I don't have.

[Odanan]

Mark Hayden, on 27 January 2014 - 03:37 PM, said:

For my personal reference, which book did you find this in?

The Sword and the Dagger.

Information about the Hanse's mech in the end of the book.

Edited by Odanan, 27 January 2014 - 05:20 PM.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Odanan, on 27 January 2014 - 05:20 PM, said:

The Sword and the Dagger.

That is a crazy-expensive book

[Odanan]

Sure, the book does not describe neither the full loadout* of the mech or the painting, but that's a good thing for you guys at PGI (you can have your creative licence).

*It has at least 2 lasers and 2 machineguns, as shown in the shooting range.

See chapter 35 (penultimate chapter).

PS: only few people know the name "Starbird", as it is how Hanse Davion nicknamed himself and/or his mech. He even added this nickname to the password sequence for turning on the mech.

Shar Wolf, on 27 January 2014 - 05:26 PM, said:

That is a crazy-expensive book

Probably because it's out of print for a long time. Try to find the electronic version - it should be cheaper.

[Mark Hayden]

I recall reading somewhere that it was (light?) blue, but I'm trying to track down where. I checked the 3025 and 3039 TROs but no joy. I thought that it might have been in the NAIS 4th Succession War atlas (Vol. 2) that covered the "Death Commando" (read: ComStar) attack on NAIS at the end of that conflict, but again to no avail. I've got a couple more possible leads, I'll keep you appraised

[Mark Hayden]

So, I think I might have found where I got the "blue" notion in my head. I was checking the brief biographies at the end of the 20 Year Update and while I found nothing for Hanse (other than further confirmation that he piloted a Battlemaster) I found that Melissa Steiner-Davion had piloted "Her Mother's Blue Warhammer". Anyway, I'll still keep poking, but I've covered the major sources where I thought it might be.

[Bishop Steiner]

Odanan, on 27 January 2014 - 05:32 PM, said:

Sure, the book does not describe neither the full loadout* of the mech or the painting, but that's a good thing for you guys at PGI (you can have your creative licence).

*It has at least 2 lasers and 2 machineguns, as shown in the shooting range.

See chapter 35 (penultimate chapter).

PS: only few people know the name "Starbird", as it is how Hanse Davion nicknamed himself and/or his mech. He even added this nickname to the password sequence for turning on the mech.


Probably because it's out of print for a long time. Try to find the electronic version - it should be cheaper.

I got a near mint copy for 1 dollar at a used book store.

[CyclonerM]

Mark Hayden, on 27 January 2014 - 06:29 PM, said:

So, I think I might have found where I got the "blue" notion in my head. I was checking the brief biographies at the end of the 20 Year Update and while I found nothing for Hanse (other than further confirmation that he piloted a Battlemaster) I found that Melissa Steiner-Davion had piloted "Her Mother's Blue Warhammer". Anyway, I'll still keep poking, but I've covered the major sources where I thought it might be.

This is what i call passion! May Kerensky bless St. Ives (until it get stomped.. ).

About canon Hero 'Mechs.. Do you think Aidan Pryde's Timberwolf may be OP? A Timby with JJs.. Brr
I want a canon Hero 'Mechs, it could be perfect to be a different 'Mech than the standard variants but someone would of course cry "P2W!!".

Edited by CyclonerM, 28 January 2014 - 05:39 AM.

[NautilusCommand]

CyclonerM, on 28 January 2014 - 05:38 AM, said:

This is what i call passion! May Kerensky bless St. Ives (until it get stomped.. ).

About canon Hero 'Mechs.. Do you think Aidan Pryde's Timberwolf may be OP? A Timby with JJs.. Brr
I want a canon Hero 'Mechs, it could be perfect to be a different 'Mech than the standard variants but someone would of course cry "P2W!!".

PGI did state that new variants of existing 'Mechs would come online as the timeline would allow it; though I wouldn't count on it.

[Odanan]

For those who don't want to read the whole book, I will transcribe here the parts about the Battlemaster:

Chapter 35

Spoiler

(...)
The compartment that held the Prince's BattleMaster was marked with both the Davion crest and the symbol of the Federated Suns. The monster machine stood there silently, its domelike upper body framed between tremendous arms. Lasers and machine guns bristled from its every port The Tech assigned to its care opened the sliding portal and moved the thing out on its tracked carrier.
"It is always ready for use, though the Prince seldom has the time to drill in it any longer," the man said.
(...)
But the other Hanse was now climbing up to the ‘Mech, quickly, triumphantly. He slid into the cockpit with practiced ease, closing it behind him. After only a short pause, the 'Mech's arms lifted into a salute. The turret swiveled smoothly through its full round of modons. And the weapons, those dark round mouths that could spit death in beams or bursts, moved and locked into position. The 'Mech turned on its heel and aimed them at the ferrocrete wall provided for testing weapons.
Red lances probed, leaving more dark scars on the pale stone. Machine guns chattered, their slugs bouncing harmlessly into the baffles set there to contain the ricochets. The BattleMaster went through its paces flawlessly.
(...)
Ardan, just behind his old friend, tapped Hanse on the shoulder. "You had a secret code, didn't you?" he whispered. "To activate the 'Master!"
Hanse turned to smile at him. "Yes, Dan, I did."
Ardan had a moment of comprehension. Something that Melissa had told him back in Tharkad came to him with sudden clarity.
"Starbird..." he murmured.
"Ah, my friend," said Hanse Davion with a smile, "that would be telling."

Chapter 37

Spoiler

(...)
Ardan knew Hanse was right If someone had forewarned him of all that had occurred within the past year, he wouldn't have believed it And, to add to the confusion, Felsa had made him an uncle. Perhaps that Sortek would also become a MechWarrior one day.
"Hey!" he yelled as Hanse stalked past him toward the hell that was the Gauntlet. "Do you want to be a godfather? My sister asked if you would consider it. I've got a nephew!"
The BattleMaster turned in its tracks. Its arm, heavy with weaponry, came up in a salute. A laser, held high, shot red light into the sky in a celebratory burst.
"Of course," said Hanse Davion, Prince of the Federated Suns. "I can never have too many Sorteks in my entourage.
Now come along. The Gauntlet needs a workout, don't you agree?"
Grinning, Ardan followed his friend and ruler into the mouth of hell.

So, what we know about the mech:
- it has more than one laser and more than one machine gun.
- it also has at least one laser in the arm (along with several other weapons).

The book describes all lasers in red color, so they are not necessarily small lasers.

Edited by Odanan, 28 January 2014 - 08:04 AM.

[CyclonerM]

Quote

The book describes all lasers in red color, so they are not necessarily small lasers.

I assume they could be mediums since the other novels i have read describe the large lasers as green..
But with those machine guns taking so few tons i would bet they are LLs.

So why not a Ballistic/Energy Battlemaster like this?

[Odanan]

Sorry to re-post this (will put in spoilers to not weight in the topic)

I reworked my Summoner and it should have better resolution now.

Wallpaper:

Spoiler

Concept Art style:

Spoiler

[Nathan Foxbane]

Spokes, on 27 January 2014 - 05:19 PM, said:

Hanse Davion pilots the 'Mech briefly in Stackpole's "Warrior: Coupe" (Chapter 42, pg 258 of the 10th Anniversary Ed.), but there is no description of the machine beyond the fact that it's a BattleMaster.

I am virtually certain that the 'Mech features in the very first book, "Sword and Dagger", but that's the one novel I don't have.

Page 258 of Warrior: Coupe "Tall and humanoid, with a massive, pistol-like PPC in its left hand..."
Same page when engaging a Panther and then a Marauder: "The PPC in the Battlemaster's left fist cored the aft armor on a Panther..." and "A Marauder turned around to face him. It stabbed one massive arm in his direction, but Hanse angrily batted it aside with the Battlemaster's right hand."
Page 259: "Hanse dropped his targeting crosshairs onto one Locust and fired all four of his forward lasers."
Describing Hanse's Battlemaster in part during the Death Commando/ComStar raid on New Avalon. We learn it has a left hand PPC, and four forward firing lasers and at least one rearward firing laser. No SRMs are ever fired and no Machine Guns fire in the fight. So either Starbird has changed since The Sword and The Dagger, or Hanse swapped his old ride for a lefty BLR-1G and went into battle with no ammo. Or Stackpole completely derped on where the PPC was mounted.

[Odanan]

Nathan Foxbane, on 28 January 2014 - 02:50 PM, said:

Describing Hanse's Battlemaster in part during the Death Commando/ComStar raid on New Avalon. We learn it has a left hand PPC, and four forward firing lasers and at least one rearward firing laser. No SRMs are ever fired and no Machine Guns fire in the fight. So either Starbird has changed since The Sword and The Dagger, or Hanse swapped his old ride for a lefty BLR-1G and went into battle with no ammo. Or Stackpole completely derped on where the PPC was mounted.

So we gather all the information in one single mech (the books don't necessarily contradict themselves).

• No SRMs: absent in both books;
  
• 1 PPC in left arm: from Warrior: Coupe;
  
• 2 Machineguns with one additional laser (in the right arm): from TSatD - he didn't fire these MGs in the the later book but that doesn't mean he didn't have them in his mech;
  
• 4 more lasers (in the torsos) - one of them rear-firing (forward firing in MWO, anyway): from Warrior: Coupe.

I think we have the Starbird.

[Mark Hayden]

Odanan, on 28 January 2014 - 06:16 PM, said:

So we gather all the information in one single mech (the books don't necessarily contradict themselves).

• No SRMs: absent in both books;
  
• 1 PPC in left arm: from Warrior: Coupe;
  
• 2 Machineguns with one additional laser (in the right arm): from TSatD - he didn't fire these MGs in the the later book but that doesn't mean he didn't have them in his mech;
  
• 4 more lasers (in the torsos) - one of them rear-firing (forward firing in MWO, anyway): from Warrior: Coupe.

I think we have the Starbird.

I can't help but notice the similarities between the load out you describe (in particular the lack of a missile rack) and the appearance of the BattleMaster on the cover of The Sword and the Dagger. Makes me wonder if that's your Starbird?