74 replies to this topic

[Xanquil]

The Cicada seems to have jumped ahead a few years. In the picture it looks like it has a RAC on it.
I asume it is a minor mistake as an Ultra should not look like a "rotary" auto cannon.
Please don't make Ultras look like RACs, It's just not right.

Other than that I love the way it looks.

[Atlai]

Cicada doesent have a ultra its got lasers and i think its so they can cool down the barrels maybe?

[Arctic Fox]

Autocannons can look like anything, because they're a generalized group of weapons with similar performance rather than a specific type. Having multiple barrels isn't limited to just RACs.

EDIT: Oh, yes, and those are lasers. Bah, how could I forget that...

Edited by Arctic Fox, 09 May 2012 - 11:41 AM.

[Garth Erlam]

Arctic Fox, on 09 May 2012 - 11:40 AM, said:

Autocannons can look like anything, because they're a generalized group of weapons with similar performance rather than a specific type. Having multiple barrels isn't limited to just RACs.

^---

[Adridos]

It's 3 Uac-5s. I agree they look a bit like a rotary, but nothing major.

Edited by Adridos, 09 May 2012 - 11:42 AM.

[Vexgrave Lars]

Kids.. that's a variant I think..
CDA-3M - The -3M upgrade of this older BattleMech uses some of the newest technology available in 3050. The engine has been upgraded to an extralight engine and the extra space has been used to upgrade the Small Laser to a Small Pulse Laser and also to add an Ultra Autocannon/5, as well as CASE to protect the 'Mech in the case of an ammunition explosion. Little early, but there ya go.

Since we're thinking that's an AC. That doesn't look like a medium laser.. that's for certain.

Edited by Vexgrave Lars, 09 May 2012 - 11:46 AM.

[Der Kommissar]

I've already made a long post regarding autocannons that you could always go view for an explanation on that. For those of you who don't care to do so, long story short is that the term "rotary autocannon" is misleading, and ANY autocannon can have a rotary barrel arrangement, it's just that RACs always do (even if concealed with a barrel shroud) and have a higher firing rate.

It's anyone's guess what that's supposed to be. My two cents? It may be the 3C, which has two machine guns instead of medium lasers, a smaller engine, and a PPC. It may also be the 3M, which has a LT-mounted UAC-5 in the LT, though the year's wrong for that. Considerably less likely explanations? The medium laser has multiple barrels so it can cool while rapid firing (not something you see in the art or fluff), or this particular Cicada has all three of its weapons in the LT (which is not canonical). It's definitely not the CDA-2A.

Who knows.

The Cicada, for whoever was asking, only carries 4 tons of armor - comparable with the Locust or any given mech about half its size. Very poor for a medium, but acceptable for a light scout, which is really all the basic Cicada is.

Edited by Der Kommissar, 09 May 2012 - 11:59 AM.

[Orzorn]

Its a UAC/5 as they told us it was. Autocannons are a group of weapons with many different builds and types, they are just classed together. So I expect this UAC/5 will fire smaller damage rounds from its barrels one after another.

[pursang]

As has been said, it's a UAC/5.

[Arctic Fox]

Vexgrave Lars, on 09 May 2012 - 11:44 AM, said:

Kids.. that's a variant I think..
CDA-3M - The -3M upgrade of this older BattleMech uses some of the newest technology available in 3050. The engine has been upgraded to an extralight engine and the extra space has been used to upgrade the Small Laser to a Small Pulse Laser and also to add an Ultra Autocannon/5, as well as CASE to protect the 'Mech in the case of an ammunition explosion. Little early, but there ya go.

Since we're thinking that's an AC. That doesn't look like a medium laser.. that's for certain.

So it seems. I didn't even know this variant existed. Well, I guess you can't expect a true Lyran to know anything about bug 'Mechs Battle Armour...

[Xanquil]

As was stated the cicada CDA-3M has a ultra ac5 on it. As to haveing multiple barrels I have no problem with that but it shuldn't look like a rotary cannnon. that is the only problem I have with it. I was just hopeing that MWO would fix a lot of the bad art that was out there that had Ultras and RAC looking the same.

Just a bit disapointed, but it won't keep me from playing.

[Jonas]

A rotary has 6 barrels, Ultra autocannons ether have 3 barrels and/or special breach system allowing them to fire more than one round.

I would think this is a Ultra-5 Autocannon the reason is there doesn't seem to be lenses at the end of those and there are two spots on the torsos that have lenses for lasers and what looks like a small laser in the center torso.

Edited by Jonas, 09 May 2012 - 12:18 PM.

[Jonas]

Xanquil, on 09 May 2012 - 11:52 AM, said:

As was stated the cicada CDA-3M has a ultra ac5 on it. As to haveing multiple barrels I have no problem with that but it shuldn't look like a rotary cannnon. that is the only problem I have with it. I was just hopeing that MWO would fix a lot of the bad art that was out there that had Ultras and RAC looking the same.

Just a bit disapointed, but it won't keep me from playing.

I kinda agree but I have seen a picture of a Cataphact that had a rotary set up but it was used as a Ultra-5 AC. Still the double rate of fire has been explained as ether having 3 barrels or special breaches allowing for the higher rate of fire.

[mekredd]

Are you people for real? This is the basic Cincada, that's 2 med. lasers and a small. There are no autocannons on that mech.

Jesus.

[Sychodemus]

There never has been any real uniformity of weapon presentation across all formats. The only times where uniformity has been seen is within a single product (like a TRO dominated by a single artist) or the work of a particular artist across multiple TROs.

In other words, multiple barrels mean nothing. At best, most artwork is merely an artist's interpretation.

I am not saying that there shouldn't be uniformity; rather I am saying that there isn't any in a consistent sense.

[Der Kommissar]

If so, it's a highly inaccurate depiction of the 2A as having all three of its weapons in the left torso. Like I said before, a dubious explanation, particularly considering FD's earlier efforts.

[Major Tom]

To all those posters saying "t's a UAC/5", please post your source material (I am not saying it isn't and UAC/5 I just want to know the official source). This would be the first mech release that depicted a variant rather than the "prime"

I am also curious why an ultra (two shot) weapon has 3 barrels (as opposed to 1 or two).

[Cold3y3s]

I accounted for all three lasers, the small under the cockpit, one over the barrels, and you can just see the edge of the last one past the edge of the cockpit. so this bring us back to the original question, what is the 3-barrelled thing?

[Der Kommissar]

Major Tom, on 09 May 2012 - 12:16 PM, said:

To all those posters saying "t's a UAC/5", please post your source material (I am not saying it isn't and UAC/5 I just want to know the official source). This would be the first mech release that depicted a variant rather than the "prime"

I am also curious why an ultra (two shot) weapon has 3 barrels (as opposed to 1 or two).

Ground control to Major Tom: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Cicada

The UAC/5 is not a "two shot" weapon. This is an abstraction for gameplay purposes. Autocannon should not be thought of in the same terms as tank cannon, they're large-bore weapons that fire in bursts, save perhaps the very largest class 20 autocannon. For example, the class 5 AC on the Marauder? It has an unusually large caliber for its class, 120mm, and fires in three round bursts. This gives it firepower comparable to a medium laser.

This should give you an idea of how much lead an autocannon is usually throwing out in a single "shot."

Quote

so this bring us back to the original question, what is the 3-barrelled thing?

If it's the 3M, that's the UAC/5. That would account for all apparent weapons blisters.

Edited by Der Kommissar, 09 May 2012 - 12:21 PM.

[Atlai]

Vexgrave Lars, on 09 May 2012 - 11:44 AM, said:

Since we're thinking that's an AC. That doesn't look like a medium laser.. that's for certain.

Yeah come on i totally didnt think those were lasers *i totally did*

Edited by Mason West, 09 May 2012 - 12:33 PM.