The Project Phoenix remake of the Marauder is basically an AH-64 Apache helicopter that had its tail chopped off and then grew arms and legs. No need to re-design it to look like a Russian helicopter instead -- besides, we all know American helicopters are better! That being said, Datum did a good job with the drawing. I just wouldn't want to pilot something that looked like that.
Mordhar -- you'd
really want the torso weapon to be mounted in an easy-to-hit position, completely unarmored, with its vulnerable linkage and ammo feeds hanging out for all to see and aim for? I think you'd change your mind after the fifth battle and the fifth time changing out that (now destroyed) weapon for a new one. Being partially buried in the well-armored side torso is a much better location.
Y'all are just getting all nostalgic and watery-eyed for the original artwork, which wasn't original at all. They said "Oooh that looks cool, let's use that" instead of having stuff custom created like they should have and they got smacked down hard for doing it the wrong way. Don't get me wrong -- I've been a fan of BattleTech since I read
Decision at Thunder Rift (the first novel) the same year it came out. It had some very cool definitions in the back, along with a whole bunch of illustrations of the 'Mechs. I liked the way the Marauder and Crusader and Phoenix Hawk and Rifleman looked. But when I found out the designs weren't original, I put BattleTech (the books, the TROs, the tabletop game, everything) down for a while. I was so mad that I didn't have anything to do with it for a couple of years. I couldn't stay away forever though -- I just avoided using the non-original 'Mechs. When I learned about the Project Phoenix stuff I was excited to see my old favorites return, and the designs didn't disappoint. I've also played MW2, MW3, MW4, MechCommander 1 and 2 and their various expansions on the computer, as well as MechAssault 1 and 2 on the Xbox. The only version I haven't played is the one for the Nintendo DS.
The Project Phoenix designs (all of them, not just for the Marauder) are good mainly because they are original and they have different illustrations for each of the variants so you can look and tell the difference between a Marauder carrying two ERPPCs, two Medium Lasers, and an RAC5 (5R version
http://www.sarna.net...5r_marauder.png) versus two Large Pulse Lasers, two Medium Pulse Lasers, and an RAC5 (5T version
http://www.sarna.net...5t_marauder.png) versus two ERPPCs, two ER Medium Lasers, an LB 10-X AC, and a Flamer (the little 'nub' on its chin) (9S version
http://www.sarna.net...9s_marauder.png) versus four ER Large Lasers and two Streak SRM6 packs (9M version
http://www.sarna.net...9m_marauder.png). Just having those other illustrations for the variants makes it that much better. No, they're not the originals -- but there's no doubt that they ARE original.