160 replies to this topic

[DerMaulwurf]

Axman-2N: LRM-Boat with an axe. Mine almost never get the opportunity to use said axe. But it's presence is strangely reassuring.

Banshee (Steiner Variants, especially 5S): PPCs and ballistics to punch holes and smaller weapons to find them. A bit like if the weaponry of a Marauder and a Warhammer had been smashed together. It's underarmored for a 95tonner and the XL engine does not help, but still my favorite assault.

Clansides I like the standard engine Omnis (Battle Cobra, Stooping Hawk, Crossbow and Kingfisher). Clan Xl-engines may be too good to miss and being cheap isn't the clan-way either (unless you're a Blood Spirit), but I still field them far too often for my own good.

[Tigerwolf]

How's this, the Goliath and Scorpion. Four legged mechs with the Scorpion hiding behind the level 1 and being totally hidden. People hated those two mechs but I liked being the only one running them.

[KalebFenoir]

DerMaulwurf, on 25 December 2012 - 09:55 AM, said:

Axman-2N: LRM-Boat with an axe. Mine almost never get the opportunity to use said axe. But it's presence is strangely reassuring.

Banshee (Steiner Variants, especially 5S): PPCs and ballistics to punch holes and smaller weapons to find them. A bit like if the weaponry of a Marauder and a Warhammer had been smashed together. It's underarmored for a 95tonner and the XL engine does not help, but still my favorite assault.

Clansides I like the standard engine Omnis (Battle Cobra, Stooping Hawk, Crossbow and Kingfisher). Clan Xl-engines may be too good to miss and being cheap isn't the clan-way either (unless you're a Blood Spirit), but I still field them far too often for my own good.

You get extra points in my book for even knowing the Stooping Hawk. One of my faves is the Stooping Hawk C, with its heaviest weapons mounted in the head and CT. My friend spent rounds tearing my mech apart, only to discover to his dismay that I was still pumping out the same amount of fire, ravaging his machine. After we stopped, he demanded I never use that version of the Stooping Hawk again, because it was 'unfair'. XD

[Kobold]

DerMaulwurf, on 25 December 2012 - 09:55 AM, said:

Axman-2N: LRM-Boat with an axe. Mine almost never get the opportunity to use said axe. But it's presence is strangely reassuring.

Banshee (Steiner Variants, especially 5S): PPCs and ballistics to punch holes and smaller weapons to find them. A bit like if the weaponry of a Marauder and a Warhammer had been smashed together. It's underarmored for a 95tonner and the XL engine does not help, but still my favorite assault.

Clansides I like the standard engine Omnis (Battle Cobra, Stooping Hawk, Crossbow and Kingfisher). Clan Xl-engines may be too good to miss and being cheap isn't the clan-way either (unless you're a Blood Spirit), but I still field them far too often for my own good.

Excellent calls on the AXM-2N and the Kingfisher. Two under-used, but very reliable rides.

As for the Banshee, I think the 5S is ok, but the 3S is amazing. It is arguably one of the best 3025 level 1 tech assault mechs. Slightly lower BV than an Atlas with better long range punch (two PPCs never run out of ammo), better mid-range punch (once the AC10 comes into play), and similar short range punch (4 ML + AC10 roughly equivalent of 2 ML and the AC20).

[DerMaulwurf]

Kobold, on 25 December 2012 - 08:07 PM, said:

Excellent calls on the AXM-2N and the Kingfisher. Two under-used, but very reliable rides.

As for the Banshee, I think the 5S is ok, but the 3S is amazing. It is arguably one of the best 3025 level 1 tech assault mechs. Slightly lower BV than an Atlas with better long range punch (two PPCs never run out of ammo), better mid-range punch (once the AC10 comes into play), and similar short range punch (4 ML + AC10 roughly equivalent of 2 ML and the AC20).

You're preaching to a believer . But, you're right that it's too good to be a guilty pleasure (the 5S makes up it's relative fragility by not being an utter slowpoke). On the other hand I never encountered too many of them outside my own roster.

In a similar case there is also the Blood Kite, which is not a mainstream mech either. But also too powerful to fit the scope of this thread.

[Odanan]

Wolverine. There is only one weapon you need in TT: medium lasers. Lots of them.

[KalebFenoir]

Odanan, on 26 December 2012 - 02:18 AM, said:

Wolverine. There is only one weapon you need in TT: medium lasers. Lots of them.

Ah, a classic... Been so long I almost can't remember its loadout. Also remember I had rotten luck with it. Right arm always got blown off in battle almost immediately.

[Narcissistic Martyr]

I... I shouldn't admit this but I love the charger and not just the fancy high tech ones, the 5 SL STD 400 engine one as well. I know it's just about the worst mech ever without XL engines or smaller STD engines but... I just love the mech for some reason. It probably has to do with a mechwarrior campaign where we used a lance of them to wage a guerilla war against a Fed Suns invasion force (3rd succession wars era) on some backwater Combine world until reinforcements arrived. They were fast enough to escape after raids and anything they weren't fast enough to outrun we were able to corral to shoot them to death. Particularly satisfying was taking several medium mechs by surprise and beating them to death with the severed limbs of their former comrades. It was needless to say an memorable campaign.

[KalebFenoir]

Narcissistic Martyr, on 26 December 2012 - 11:04 PM, said:

I... I shouldn't admit this but I love the charger and not just the fancy high tech ones, the 5 SL STD 400 engine one as well. I know it's just about the worst mech ever without XL engines or smaller STD engines but... I just love the mech for some reason. It probably has to do with a mechwarrior campaign where we used a lance of them to wage a guerilla war against a Fed Suns invasion force (3rd succession wars era) on some backwater Combine world until reinforcements arrived. They were fast enough to escape after raids and anything they weren't fast enough to outrun we were able to corral to shoot them to death. Particularly satisfying was taking several medium mechs by surprise and beating them to death with the severed limbs of their former comrades. It was needless to say an memorable campaign.

Sweet story! Perhaps I should edit the original post to include a 'tell your story' addendum? I'm sure there's a lot of awesome battle stories to be told.

[Kobold]

KalebFenoir, on 26 December 2012 - 07:09 PM, said:

Ah, a classic... Been so long I almost can't remember its loadout. Also remember I had rotten luck with it. Right arm always got blown off in battle almost immediately.

The WVR-7K is a workhorse for me from 3050 onward. 5/8/5, max armor, LPL, 2x MPL, SPL, and 2x SRM6, with plenty of heat sinks. The short range weapons means the BV stays low.

I can't really call it a guilty pleasure though, given that it is a standard commonplace design, in all of its various incarnations.

[Deus Rex]

Qrion, on 23 December 2012 - 09:26 PM, said:

Dervish, maybe. The bizarre hands with the SRM-2s. Oh hey, here it is: I'm a big fan of the 3025 Charger. I love running up and doing physicals all over the place, and pew-pewing till my heart is filled with joy.

I love the Dervish. it's quick, can jump, and fire support - a true jack of all trade and master of nothing. As for true guilty pleasure I have to say using a lance of DCMS Whitworths, 2 with LRMS and then 2 SRM variants. Also, I can't forget about my true fravorite, the Griffin, but you always had to up root a tree for club just in case.

[Nicholai Matowski]

I'd have to say the ax man. i love me the ax man

[KalebFenoir]

Kobold, on 27 December 2012 - 08:19 AM, said:

The WVR-7K is a workhorse for me from 3050 onward. 5/8/5, max armor, LPL, 2x MPL, SPL, and 2x SRM6, with plenty of heat sinks. The short range weapons means the BV stays low.

I can't really call it a guilty pleasure though, given that it is a standard commonplace design, in all of its various incarnations.

It's still a guilty pleasure for a Third edition player like myself; later mechs had more advanced internal structures, armours, and 'fancy doohickies' like Gauss rifles and Streaks and ECM. A classic Wolverine harkens back to a time when the game seemed far more fun, and mechs were actually limited by certain amounts of armour, engine sizes, and payloads.

To see a wolverine in today's matches is fairly rare, unless you're very loyal to the design. It brings a smile to my face to see anything from the Unseen appear.

[Kobold]

KalebFenoir, on 27 December 2012 - 11:39 PM, said:

It brings a smile to my face to see anything from the Unseen appear.

That is where we will have to part ways then. "Old" doesn't mean better, to me.

The bug mechs, Shadowhawk, and Rifleman (in most, but not all, configurations) are junk. The Warhammer is passable in a few configurations, but the stock version, is full of wasted tonnage. The Crusader I actually want to like, but torso bombs... (and yes, I know about how it was impacted by the heat sink rule change) Marauders are overrated, and Bunnymasters are silly looking.

I'll take the PXH, GRF, and WVR (at least the ones without AC5). You can keep the rest.

Edited by Kobold, 28 December 2012 - 01:23 AM.

[William Warriors]

For me it is the Thunderhawk for its 3 Gauss rifles, I will personally swap it out for 3 AC20s.

Next in line is the Fafnir, and then the Madcat with 2 Ultra AC20s built.

Nothing beat the hitting power of AC20s, Ultra or the normal version except for the LBX.

I once beat the trial of position on MW4 Mercs in the first try where you have to fight five omnis Vlad Ward throws at me. I was piloting a Direwolf with 3 Ultra AC 20s. All it take is one shot to kill one Omnis, two at most.

One day when the Annihilator comes out, i will be putting 4x AC 20s on a mech

Edited by William Conrad, 28 December 2012 - 01:44 AM.

[The Basilisk]

When speaking rationaly about Battlemechs in CBT my favorites are pretty mainstream.
Javelin or Jenner for the light branch, Phoenix Hawk, Enforcer, Shadowhawk or Wolverin for medium branch, Archer, Marauder and Orion for the heavy branch, Awesome, Battlemaster and Longbow for the Assault branch.

But there are some oddballs that I realy love.

Firestarter in the light class, the Scorpion medium mech, Paladin heavy mech and last but not least the most ugly and despised beast the Banshee.

[ValdnadHartagga]

I don't think I have any guilty pleasure 'Mechs (I take great pleasure in fielding my favorite designs) but my guilty-pleasure tactic is the old Steiner Wall of Steel.

[KalebFenoir]

I actually got attached to the Rabid Coyote. It's not the best Medium mech, but I was able to scare the tar out of my friend's Heavy and Assaults when this decent-speed mech suddenly turned around and unleashed High Explosive hell on them, doing tons of damage. And still managed to stay alive till the end of the match. It earned a place of honour in my roster.

That and I love the physical design for it completely. The legs are works of art to me, and it looks like it should move like lightning.

Edited by KalebFenoir, 29 December 2012 - 08:04 AM.

[GumbyC2C]

cool topic. For old-school tabletop BT, I truly loved the Thunderbolt. I used to play in a lot of tournements and usually there was a 250 ton total team restriction. Pound for pound in 2025, nothing beats The big Thud. My team usually fielded two Thunderbolts, one Archer, and one P-Hawk. Dump the MG ammo and it can take a beating like no other 65 tonner and dish out plenty at any range. We had two pewter Thunderbolts painted white with bullseyes on them. Grab a nearby tree and go Louisville slugger on the first guy to get in your grill.

For tabletop though I really do like almost anything with torso weapons and hands. I love the physical attacks. Give me a tree or an arm or a leg and bad stuff will happen. At a tourney once I was driving an Archer and I got a leg blown off on the crit with the 12 roll. The next turn I stood up with the 11 roll and picked up my own leg. Then when they came in for the kill I popped them in the head with my own leg.

[PoLaR]

Dire Wolf!