=Outlaw=, on 04 March 2012 - 03:19 PM, said:
Its also a second line clan mech. Second line mechs were mostly used for garrison duties, which why it wouldn't be seen until late into the invasion.Though I suspect that the stone rhino might have been used by some front line units. Still, its a rare mech. Im still not sure how MWO will handle canonically "rare" mechs in-game.
Correct, as a second line mech, it would not appear during the initial invasion of the Inner Sphere as it would only appear on a world that had been pacified and the front line troops moved offworld to be replaced by second line or solhama troops. In the description of the mech in the technical readout the design is very rare and even rarely used due to the sheer cost of operating or especially losing one in combet. I have palyed with the Stone Rhino configuration in several versions of the game, and while I will agree that it is an awsome looking mech, it;s performace is quite acking for a 100 ton assualt mech (the large pulse lasers will easily oveload the heat dissipation of the relatively few heat sink the mech is equipped with).
The_Birdeater, on 05 March 2012 - 07:03 AM, said:
The Stone Rhino was originally developed in the inner sphere and was named "Amaris Behemoth" but the project failed. The clans completed this failed IS-design. Canonically, only the Smoke Jaguars use this monster. Like other rare mechs, the Stone Rhino also should be exclusive to its faction.
Not entirely correct, it was know as "Amaris' Folly" as, according to the technical readout its "leg actuator actually shut sown during it's inital trials" the readout does not confirm that the project was successful during the time of the Campaign to retake Terra (conversely, it eludes that the projest was a failure and was scrapped), but it can be assumed that the designs were take by Gen Kenrensky during the Exodous and the design flaws were corrected by Clan technicians...