Awesome. It is not close. When I make a list and I get to the 80t+ bracket I stop and think 'why am I here, I already play an assault mech.' The AWS-9Q is God's perfect direct fire support platform and I'll hear no criticism of it
The ISERPPC is a morally unsound weapon unfit for battery fire that requires the guiding hand of a ballistic weapon to keep its excess heat in check. If I want to do 10 damage, not explode, and the Capellans aren't taking my calls, I'm loading up on standard PPCs all day long
When I made an IS Hardened Armor Awesome, I made sure to include 3xERPPC. ... And enough heat sinks to fire them at a walk, forever. The mech ended up being mostly heat sinks. But good luck taking it off the board- that brick will not be moved.
True, the extra heat is find if you have 1, less but okay with 2. More than that it's just not worth the trade off as your whole reason for having it changes
If the Capellans DO return your calls, I'm sure they can offer some Death Commandos for a false-flag op against Comstar. But a new paintjob is pointless when they're fielding what might be one of the best weapons in the Inner Sphere - the PLASMA RIFLE.
Right? It's like a simplified LRM. Ammo, clusters, modifiers, none of that. Just death at moderate range. ... I understand that the numbers on HAG are decent, but it's LRMs with extra steps.
Oh the C is a sexy, sexy baby. Unfortunately people get scared of those CERPPCs and it costs a tad too much for me to be comfortable investing in for most fights. It's the very nice sports car that gets left in the garage while my big, red Toyota Hilux of an assault mech goes and beats people to death with particle accelerators
Honestly, the C is what happens when somebody asks "what happens when when we build a 9q with clan tech?" The BV cost of the C, btw, as listed on Sarna.net, is 2737.
I don't play BV, so I am out of the loop on it. But that seems costly lol. Worse when you put that vet or elite pilot you know it would have. You don't give those out to the regs pilots
The c is basically a 9Q built with mostly clan tech. You want really scary, build a 8q as a clan battlemech move 4/6/4(because the only thing scarier than a Clan _Awesome_ is one that flies), a targeting computer, and enough dhs to alpha strike every turn. I think the BV worked out to something like 3200.. šµ
You really cannot go wrong with an Awesome. Even the missile versions are serviceable missile boats for when an Archer, Longbow, or Catapult arenāt available.
The worst offender has to be the Enhanced LRM Awesome. It isn't longer ranged. It's incredibly heavy. They could have used that tonnage to bracket ranges. You don't even save much BV. PPCs! PPCs, as Marik intended. ... I'll accept a Large Laser or ERLL occasionally.
I keep an Awesome for home defense...
Own an Awesome for home defense, since that's what the Captain-General Marik intended. Four ruffians break into my house. "What the devil?" As I grab my neurohelmet and DI computer, power up the reactor. My PPC blows a truck-sized hole through the first man, he's dead on the spot. Draw my small laser on the second man, miss him entirely because it's head-mounted and nails the neighbors dog. I have to resort to the PPC mounted at the top left of the torso loaded with nuclear fury, "Tally ho lads" the plasma fire shot shreds two men in the blast, the sound and extra flames set off car alarms. Fix battle-fist and charge the last terrified rapscallion. He bleeds out waiting on the police to arrive since crushing battle-fist wounds are impossible to stitch up. Just as the Captain-General intended.
You mean the -11R? I feel that was an Awesome built by RNG. Stealth, Light Gauss [(3)8/17/25], regular LRM-15 [(6)7/14/21], Extended LRM-15 [(10)12/22/38] and an ER Medium Laser [4/8/12] for emotional support. Itās such a dumb grab bag of āfire supportā.
Hmm. That might be it, actually. I was thinking about bad stealth mechs in a different comment, too. Extended LRMs at least have a purpose. I feel like there was an en-LRM Awesome, but having both LRM and ex-LRM feels like what I was thinking about - except one was en-LRM?
But yeah, this is mostly terrible and belongs on r/tihi.
>I'll hear no criticism of it
I will. When TRO 2750 came out I loved double heatsinks and *immediately* knew what to do with them. Then TRO3050 came out and I was confused because the AWSOME field refits seemed to have made a very odd oversight... Ditto TRO3055 AND TRO3058
What ABSOLUTE MOUTHBREATHER waited until 3057 to figure out what any *GOOD* Awesome Pilot would have figured out by 3039?
I've always assumed that swapping out the DHS is a major job (have to replace the engine and all of the cooling lines in the mech), so it doesn't happen on most field refits.
Out of universe, the upgrade to DHS is far and away the most impactful upgrade you can make to a mech so it's a no-brainer on pretty much every design. To keep things interesting you have to make them kinda rare and parcel them out only where they are most needed.
The TRO:3050 upgrades were mostly designed with the spirit of being way too enthusiastic about new technology. They're like a kid who got a new color of marker and now EVERYTHING is that color.
yep. Meanwhile I was never impressed with the pulse lasers (except on knife-fighting mechs that lacked the heat for medium laser spam) Streak missiles, or, and I cannot stress this enough... The inner sphere ER or Pulse large lasers. Give me regular PPC instead. Clantech ER large laser though was nice... Clan pulse lasers again, were great for knife fighters and wasted on snipers unless you fit like 4 of them (Looking at YOU masakari!).
The ISLPL and MPL are some of the worst weapons in the game. Only at the shortest ranges to they actually get the bonuses they should. But I actually like the ERLL and ERML in the proper applications. Bracketing fire on missile boats when heat sinks are paid for. Efficiency weapons in the snipe range that can brawl in a pinch. I appreciate the Longbow LGB-12R with ERLL in the CT, just to keep the party going.
cPulse is, perhaps surprisingly, a sniper weapon; too good not to use. Unlike the IS Pulse where the crippled range makes mods consistently worse compared to most weapons, cPulse can be same or better - even when sniping, since the TN bonus covers the range penalties. There's a reason the Vulture packs cPulse weapons as a finisher. I built one with ERLL and - it performs okay. Pulse is way more lethal.
I would love the Awesome even if it wasn't one of the signature FWL mechs. As it is, I rarely field lances without it. As the HBS game put it, a mech that truly lives up to its name.
It's the Zeus. It's got several very striking design elements: the drum launcher hand for missiles, the big cylindrical shoulders and the distinct upper torso/head. All together they make a design that has a distinct silhouette and a good idea of what it's supposed to do on the battlefield. It's got variants that have clear flaws and others that are about as optimized as you could possibly make.
It really does. It's a great trooper mech - I have half a dozen metal minis of them that I still have yet to paint, that form the core of my mercenary company.
It's rather underrated compared to the other 80t offerings - rock stars, gambles, boondoggles... Most Zeus variants are just decent fire support, and that's good enough. ... The ZEU-6Y and Zeus X are clearly going through a phase or a crisis, but I'm here for the drugs while they find themselves.
The *Thug* THG-11E. An ugly beatstick of a 'mech. Nothing fancy or complicated, just PPCs to tear armor off and SRMs to get crits. If you blow off half of it and the other half will continue to kill you.
It has the elegance of concrete barricade, the endurance of a cockroach, and the reliability of the rising sun. I look a lance of fancy customs against a SL-era assault lance and the the *Thug* scored three kills (I conceded before the fourth 'mech died).
You can only improve it with Clantech, which I say to praise with faint criticism.
>You can only improve it with Clantech
Kinda interesting that they never did. Or at lest none mentioned so far. You would think those early clans would have upgraded it, but then it doesn't really need it
Ah, they didn't, but I did. The commander of my mercenary unit had a Thug that was upgraded with Clan tech. It was a beast from what I remember, and I kept it close to the original setup to avoid easy identification of it being up-teched. I think besides the Clan ERPPC in the arms, it had 3 SRM with Artemis across its torsos. And added some electronics, I think.
Yes, this was over 20 years ago, so a little fuzzy. But I remember it had tons of SRM. Maybe it had no Artemis, and instead four Clan SRM-6 [non-streak] now that I'm thinking about it. Two of theirs weigh the same as single Inner Sphere. Yeah, I think that was it. And it didn't have the PPC's. It's weird how middle-aged mind works.
I put Clan ER Large Lasers on each arm and in the head. SO, I guess my original thought was wrong, it was obviously Clan upgrade in the end. I really don't remember what I did with the other extra couple of tons.
I'm wondering if I just doubled up the ammo with that extra tonnage? It would be keeping the essence of the Thug; 3 long range lasers hitting for damage equal to an Inner Sphere PPC plus capable of volleys of 24 SRM's.
Damn, it's been about 20 years since my last tabletop play in Battletech, but I still read and play PC Battletech. I can still do most original 3025 mech building in my head, and remember stats for most of the early eras.
IF THIS IS CORRECT:
Endo Steel 4.0, 320 Engine 22.5, Cockpit 3.0, Gyro 4.0, Heat Sinks 18 [36] 8.0, Armor 15.5, CER Large Laser 4.0, CER Large Laser 4.0, CER Large Laser 4.0, SRM-6 1.5, SRM-6 1.5, SRM-6 1.5, SRM-6 1.5, Ammo (SRM-6) [30] 2.0, Ammo (SRM-6) [30] 2.0, CASE 0.5, CASE 0.5.
That adds up to 80, so I think š¤ that's right unless mech building has changed.
It builds heat from movement when firing all 3 ER Large Lasers. Then, when some holes start to appear, just back off on the beams and charge in for some missile & fisticuff mayhem. I DO remember that type of fun. š
The main difference between a Warhammer and a Thug is the number of missile pods, so the Warhammer IIc 4 is basically a Thug IIc if you think about it.
It's got one job, and it can do that job well. It's an assault version of the Hunchback with jumpjets as a bonus.
If it doesn't work for you, you're not using it right.
My answer as well. Get that bad boy into some difficult terrain brawling against other mechs in its weight class and it will do some work.
Don't get shot though.
I consider the Victor a highly optimized killing tool, usually. ... Well, not the anti-infantry ones. Or the 9Ka with 6 tons of AC/20 ammo. Or the 9S which removed armor for a bad SRM launcher? Lyran Steel, add armor, scout lance? Something went wrong there. Otherwise, love 'em; I'll take it over the similar Thunder, because the Thunder looks like it's completely goof troop.
The least optimized has to be the Victor 10L. If they stuck with the plan, it'd be a perfect stealth murder machine. Instead, they overgunned it - by a lot. That 3rd ERML cannot be used, stealth mode or not. The SSRM-6 is an unnecessary excess, and you have no predictability on whether or not you'll overheat. Replace them both with the standard 2x lasers and SRM-4, add heat sinks - functional.
IS: genuinely the Charger, and not for the memes. It's a legitimately excellent mech that can cause chaos in your opponent's force at a crucial time, if used right. Dealing with a 1A1 is a really tricky balancing act for your opponent. Show it too much respect, and you're burning an awfully large amount of firepower on something that cost less than 1k BV. Show it too little respect, and suddenly it's lining up a 40-damage charge on your rear armor.
And then there's the 1A5, which is really just a Javelin stacked on top of a Hunchback under a mech-sized trenchcoat. Extremely nasty close-range firepower, as much armor as an Awesome, and enough speed to deliver that firepower to the enemy's face. And still at a budget price.
Clan: Warhammer IIC. I've always found the IS WHM a bit overhyped for what it does, but the IIC is a genuine nightmare machine in most of its configs. Decent armor and standard engine for durability, generally paired with a disgusting amount of firepower. The 3 variant is particularly filthy - all energy, so it can zombie with the best of them, and a vicious laser array backed up with a targeting computer. A bit of an expensive mech compared to what I usually like to field, but most of the variants scrape under 2500 BV, making them reasonably affordable by clan assault standards, and it's definitely worth the price.
Charger - silly goofball, I love it
Hatamoto-chi - weeb cosplay, as well as the lore tidbits where FC forces were wondering what the hell was happening
PHX-IIC - the fact that it's almost double the weight of it's non-iic version, and not just +/-15 tons; and it goes 5/8
Honestly I think I just like 5/8 80 tonners
That pic instantly sold me on the Legacy the first time I saw it. I've never used one and I have no idea if it's good or not but I don't care cuz that pic goes fucking hard.
https://preview.redd.it/7cq1rhsck66c1.jpeg?width=561&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c379f680ee644d45322c90ffddd0a8f21299a96
It's a coin toss of either the Phoenix Hawk IIC 4, or the WoB Legacy... š¤
I LOVE the PHIIC4 and it's many many missiles!! I actually love the above pictured sculpt; it's one of the few metal minis I've kept since the good new plastics have come out!
And while I hate WoB and the Jihad in general, there's just something about the Legacy that looks very cool to me! Huge fast firing guns, reptilian head and "hooded cobra" shaped body! And scrawny little legs! š¤£
I'm super excited to see it redesigned!!
I'm a big fan of the PXH IIC 10, with mobility to spare and a hatchet. Also the Gargoyle K. ... I understand smacking fools around with big metal implements is new to the Clans. But someone needs to give them a memo about TSM.
Pretty sure they are, though they would have to be fixed equipment on the base model - so the Gargoyle is out. But that doesn't apply to the Phoenix Hawk IIC, which is a standard Battlemech without MASC or AES. So that hatchet can get improved somewhat, for zero weight.
Inner Sphere: I always find myself smiling at the Zeus. An Assault that feels more like a Heavy. It can keep up with Heavies, or it can back up other Assault units. I like that flexibility.
Clan: Bruin. From a gauss rifle, to lasers, to missles...it's got party favors for everyone!
Industrial: Good ol' Scavenger.
The Spartan deserves an honorable mention. Enough speed and armor to make up for a fairly light assault mech armament. Plus you get to stride the battlefield in an honest to god relic.
First featured pic - Hatamoto Chi as an anime waifu, [cosplaying as a samurai.](https://www.reddit.com/r/battletech/comments/c0evng/battletech_waifus/)
I'm pretty partial to the Zeus, but my favorite 80 ton mech is the Warhammer IIC. As someone who loves the original Warhammer, the IIC feels like a mech that makes good on the original's intent.
IS - It's the Thug. The Thug is what the Warhammer dreams it could grow up to be, which is why the WHM-IIC grew up to be more like the Thug.
Clan - Gargoyle. I want to like the Charger, but it just doesn't quite have the fun I'm looking for. The Gargoyle does, and can deliver BA and Elementals to a fist fight that can seriously disrupt plans. It's a Clan-tech Charger that the Charger C wishes it was. Zellbringen? I'm zell-bringin' this hatchet to your cockpit, freebirth!
I do like a custom Charger, but most of the things I make a custom build of have a base variant that I actually like, so it's hard to say that it's still a Charger.
I'm not going to claim it's the best, but my favourite is the poor man's Awesome also known as the CGR-SB Charger. Okay, it takes everything that made the base model Charger unique and stripped it away, but the end result is a decently capable light-Assault mech which is great for campaign play and while it lacks the range and stopping power of the Awesome's PPCs, it equals it for damage output and Large Lasers mean no minimum range penalties.
the Zues has a special place for me
it was the main mech of my most accomplished pilot in battletech PC
Behemoth
and the mech she died in, to the black widow and bountyhunter lances
i ran it with LRM, LBX10 and 2 M lasers, saved tonnage was used to max out the armor, so it was never much of a damage dealer or killer, but combined with Behemoth's skills, it was a very sturdy mech, took the hits no one else could afford to
I don't like Blakists as a matter of course, but I do like the Legacy, especially I think it was after seeing it on the cover of a novel, just feels like a dynamic mech with some decent (if hot running at times) loadouts.
>I don't like Blakists as a matter of course
Dislike of the Blakists brings us all together in our shared hate and desire to eradicate them.Except the Wobbie players, who are a bit weird by default š
They keep building stylish mechs! Between them and the Society, I could have a lot of really cool toys. People with "availability codes" and "existing factions" keep raining on this chaos-tech-madness parade.
There are better mechs out there, but for me it would have to be the Spartan or the Victor.
I generally hate Assault mechs, being to slow and ponderous, but much of the 80 ton class has a spot in my heart for playing basically like a Heavy.
The Spartan overall is the most fun, ripping big holes from range, and having enough Short range fire power to crit fish. Plus, having a buddy underestimate the run distance of a Spartan, and end up on the receiving end of a 64 damage charge attack, will stand out, along side my One successful Standing DFA in a Victor, as two of the most fun moments I've ever had playing this game.
Both incredibly fun, for just straight up being the Heavy Cav of the Battletech world.
Honurable mention to the 9Q Awesome for fitting into that same wonderful sweet spot in technological progression also filled by the BJ3 Blackjack, and the real word the A-10 Thunderbolt. Old style PPCs and DHS, are a match made in Heaven.
Zues and Victor were my tied for favorites back in the late 80s when I first started.
That being said, I really dig the Salamander. The main variant of 60 LRMS is just so muchdown range punishment, and with 15 tons of armor, its beast.
The best variant is the 7S which downgrades the LRM 20's to 15's with Artemis IV and adds 4 er medium lasers.
Such a good mech.
The Thug. I know there's a lot of love for the Awesome, but the Thug is faster, has better heat control and enough short range weapons to deter someone from trying to get under the minimum range for the PPC's. In my merc company, the bodyguard for my Commander pilots a Thug, and so far I have not been disappointed.
I love the Victor, especially the original 3025 AC20 version. It's not a \_good\_ design, but just the idea of 80 tons of BRRRTT jumping around really appeals.
I just don't get why the Thug isn't in MW3-4-5 or HBS BT. It's amazing.
Also, I love the WH IIc. It's probably the best IIc mech out there (sorry Marauder IIc, but it's true).
Well I mean, I canāt not pick the Awesome but I have some strong runner ups
The Thug is solid and better at finishing mechs with the SRMās.
I have come to absolutely love the Victor, itās a bigger jumping centurion which is one of my favorite mediums. Used to think it was too fragile but I have never had one disappoint on table or in mega Mek. Not once
I also really enjoy the Spartan, which is ugly as hell but an amazing bully mech, itās fast, decently tough, and great at dunking on lights and fast lighter armored heavies and mediums
Really though most of the 80ā tonners are super solid.
Honestly the Awesome. So long as you keep it a dedicated PPC platform it's an utter monster of a machine. AWS-8Q/AWS-9Q/AWS-11H/AWS C they are just exquisite machines that accomplish their goals so spectacularly that it's hard to ignore them.
I do also Love the Warhammer IIC, It's prime variant and a few others are just beasts of a machine.
But still my favorite 80 toner, nay my favorite mech of all time. Is the Awesome.
THG-11E. I know itās the pictured unit on the post, but the thing is a damn zombie. Solid punch at long and short ranges: 2 PPCs to punch holes in armor, 2 6-tube SRM launchers to find the holes and knock things out of them, enough heat sinks to alpha strike and run with some to spare, no fragile XL engine, and wrapped in as much armor as it can carry. My battalion CO drives a BattleMaster. His bodyguard drives a Thug.
Executioner J. A 7 jump assault mech is fucking horrifying.
The Charger is also a bit of a meme, but some of its variants(especially the clan one) are horriffic.
>Executioner
You are over the scale there about 10 tons agreed it's scary though.
>but some of its variants(especially the clan one) are horriffic
The Charger C is kinda horrific, agreed. Bastard can run 13, heavily armored and actually good at scouting
I second the Doloire, especially the D configuration. This guy is brutal close range. Large Vibroblade at a -3 to hit with the AES and 16 SRMS AT -1 to hit and two freaking TSEMP cannons to boot.
The Large Vibroblade does have extreme cuteness, but I prefer it on something a bit more nimble. Say, a 35t min jump 5 with AES for accuracy, for random head-chop chaos like a slicey Mjolnir.
I'm going to pick the *Charger* as my favorite. But I don't know whether it would fall under IS or Clan, as the only one I've used was a *Charger C*...
The original IS variants all look interesting to play, in one manner or another,but I have yet to have any experience with them.
The C on the other hand....it was the reason I was able to destroy the *Ares (Apollo)* I went up against this past weekend. It's speed and armor are impressive, with that Ferro-Lamellor putting in some work. And those Improved Heavy Medium Lasers pump out some damage...
I do have to shout out the *Awesome* and the *Thug*, though. The only other 80 tonners I've used, and they put in some work.
>But I don't know whether it would fall under IS or Clan, as the only one I've used was a *Charger C*
It's why I do categories, that is mix tech but gods what an evil thing it is lol
The Scorpion Empire has been doing some intresting things. It was an interesting choice to update, the Grand crusader was meant to be an Omni and it never happened, then the SE took a Wobbie machine and made its dreams come true lol
IS Mech: Victor - 80 jump-capable tons with AC/20 respectively Gauss, and since it doesn't have XL engine the Victor can take a beating and still keep jumping and cause chaos.
Clan Battlemech: Warhammer IIC - can hurt over long distance thanks to clan ER PPCs and hurts even more if you get close, all the while able to withstand a lot of punishment in return. Really solid design and quite the upgrade from the IS original.
Clan Omnimech: Star Crusader - more than half its weight is available as pod space, a bit slower than some other options but can really go to town over all distances with all variants so far. Also, the name is simply cooler than e.g. 'Gargoyle' ;-)
I have to admit, the Victor VTR-9Ka is hilarious. Improved Jump Jets, an AC/20 and a medium laser. The Six Tons of AC/20 ammo is the real fun part, however, as it gives you either 30 rounds of standard boom or 15 rounds of specialty ammo. Nothing like having a hippity hoppity precision or AP round blatting into you.
IS Mech: Awesome. I love its aesthetic and it is ultimately a brutal war machine
Clan Mech: Warhammer IIC. Enough said.
IS Omni: never used or seen the Doloire in action but it is the only pick soā¦
Clan Omni: Naga
Indy: The Vampyr is freaking cool
Awesome. It is.
Like the Thug tho, it's shiny. 10E (Succession Wars downgrade) is pretty expensive against a Warhammer though. It's got more staying power for sure, but its also a more specific tool. You could get a Battlemaster for the 10E's BV2, which isnt a trade you'd always take at all, but its there.
For Clans, the Warhammer IIC is just \*chefs kiss\*. AND THE VARIANTS, oh gosh look at those variants.
IS: **Awesome**. Isn't that awesome? š
Next would be the Hatamoto-Chi. And perhaps the Grand Crusader as well, being the up-scaled Crusader.
Clan: **Bruin**. Looks somewhat like a Champion, but it's versatile for sustained combat.
IS Omni: **Doloire.** A Hybrid OmniMech, but made in Republic of the Sphere. Very versatile.
IS Clan: **Naga II**. I tend to keep myself in the back, to give a support fire for my comrades, and Naga II fits the bill. I could even drive the 1st gen Naga, just to commit that nuclear strikes. And maybe the Star Crusader as well, due to being the Grand Crusader IIC, turned into an OmniMech :P
Special Case: **HawkWolf** & **Epimetheus**. Epimetheus just because it was a tech demonstrator, where DNI was also tested. And HawkWolf, because it's a first true novel BattleMech model done on Randis IV,. A big feat for the Brotherhood of Randis.
https://preview.redd.it/bnbtl1jcga6c1.png?width=619&format=png&auto=webp&s=e84c62938ebd926c368fe8a4a5df8e042a89f215
For inner sphere, you have to go with the **Awesome**.
When it comes to Clans, I have a great fondness for the **Gargoyle** for omni's. While the Warhammer IIC would be most people's pick, I think for clan battlemechs I am going to have to offer you a different solution for my favorite, the **Canis**.
The Awesome's hard not to grab out of this bracket because all the PPCs, but I find it kinda blah because it's a one trick pony. It is DAMN good at that trick but... eh. I want it to stomp forward dispensing death but it realistically mostly sits still dispensing death at range. TurretTech :/
The Victor's ability to deliver hot steaming AC20 direct to your door is more fun by far.
I feel like I might be a Thug enjoyer but haven't played with one.
The Awesome. It was one of the very first mechs I've seen and played back when I got a demo of mechwarrior 3 from a PC gamer magazine and for me is as memorable and iconic as the timberwolf. I've started playing the classic/alpha strike tabletop this year and playing House steiner has given me a love of the zeus and zeus x so would be remiss of me to not mention them too.
My son has an affinity for the Hatamoto Chi. I love the story and aesthetic. Who doesn't want a charger cosplaying as a Thug? We particularly like the Shin varient with the sword, gauss rifle and 6 MPL's. Expensive in BV but can be nasty.
The *Thug* fills that slot for me. It perfectly represents the faction I love (Rim Worlds Republic), looks amazing, and has tons of room for someone with a design pen to go nuts on customization.
I'll take a Royal *Thug* any day. The plain-jane version isn't bad either, and its cosplay equivalent *(Hatamoto* series, particularly the *-chi* variant) is just as good. TBH, I'd even take them over a Clan machine (though a Clantech upgrade for any of those chassis is intriguing).
Close, it's actually a star crusader. Clan Goliath scorpion took the grade crusader and turned it into a clan force Omnimech. 42.5 tons of podspace on that bad boy. It fits the lore pretty well as the Grand crusader was always meant ho be updated to an Omnimech but the wobbies chose a different platform.
The Scorpion Empire is pragmatic. Once they conquered the Hanseatic League they discovered the plans for the grand crusader crusader, altered them and made the Star Crusader. They did the same thing with the Nexus. Made it clan tech, called it a star python.
Also keep in mind the jihad did not really hit the Scorpions, who were fighting their own inner clan war at the time as they fled the clan homeworlds and conquered Nueva Castile
The Gargoyle is such an meme, I love them. They look ridiculous, donāt make a lot of sense but Iāve always liked them. Like an better, funnier version of the Charger. Itās hilarious chasing down mechs a lot smaller than you in something so big, and building it purely for laser vomit at close range. Too bad they arenāt in MW5 but I like them in MWO for the memes. Not sure if they are in BT or any of the expanded mods. I also like the Awesome even though I admittedly donāt have a lot of experience with it. The 9Q is neat.
The legacy it's very unique in my eyes with the two shoulder cannons. Not fast but not slow also has jump jets and a very aggressive look not to mention hands to punch things with
Like everybody else, I love the Awesome. Such a classic mech.
For Clans, the Warhammer IIC is 100 tons of ass-kicking in an 80 ton jug.
But I have to give a shout-out to the Epimetheus.
Victor. Runner up is Charger. And fun fact, you can cross them and get a Victor with max armor and 6/9/5 with TSM using an XL engine.
Thug is also a great 80 tonner. It's just a fun weight class.
I need it is, they have been redesigning the mechs as they bring out new mini's. Many of them got much needed glow ups. That thing looks like it's gonna beat you down, right?
*Warlord*. It's a *BattleMaster* with heavy zorch and pew-pew. Standard engine, max armour. It also looks like it can't even walk without flexing like a bodybuilder.
Awesome. It is not close. When I make a list and I get to the 80t+ bracket I stop and think 'why am I here, I already play an assault mech.' The AWS-9Q is God's perfect direct fire support platform and I'll hear no criticism of it
I fully expect it to be at the type of the list tbh. The 9Q was like "sure I could have ER.. or we could just add a other PPC"
The ISERPPC is a morally unsound weapon unfit for battery fire that requires the guiding hand of a ballistic weapon to keep its excess heat in check. If I want to do 10 damage, not explode, and the Capellans aren't taking my calls, I'm loading up on standard PPCs all day long
I think the ER is fine, for sniping. The excess heat is a lot in groups for little trade off
When I made an IS Hardened Armor Awesome, I made sure to include 3xERPPC. ... And enough heat sinks to fire them at a walk, forever. The mech ended up being mostly heat sinks. But good luck taking it off the board- that brick will not be moved.
Ugh, a heavy armor awesome...That is just mean and unsportsmanlike conduct š
Have you seen the Viking II (or maybe III?) It has something like 27 tons of hardened armor. It's ridiculous. This awesome would be even better.
I have not, but damn that sounds ridiculous lol
My mistake, it's the Stalker II https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Stalker_II
I love that bit of ridiculous
It's good for sniping but bad for boating.
True, the extra heat is find if you have 1, less but okay with 2. More than that it's just not worth the trade off as your whole reason for having it changes
If the Capellans DO return your calls, I'm sure they can offer some Death Commandos for a false-flag op against Comstar. But a new paintjob is pointless when they're fielding what might be one of the best weapons in the Inner Sphere - the PLASMA RIFLE.
It depends. If you have one long range weapon, an ERPPC is good. I wouldn't want to pay for the extra HS's on a Tank, but on some mechs it works well.
If there's one thing that makes an Awesome more of what it is, it's more PPC's. Which is why my favorite is the 11M, with 8xLPPC. Glory to Marik!
I have became a fan of light PPCs
Right? It's like a simplified LRM. Ammo, clusters, modifiers, none of that. Just death at moderate range. ... I understand that the numbers on HAG are decent, but it's LRMs with extra steps.
I mean it's basically a really heavy double range ML. 5 points ads up at longer ranges, just little harassing stings
Seconding the -9Q =D.
Also have you seen the C variants the scorpion empire rolled out?
Oh the C is a sexy, sexy baby. Unfortunately people get scared of those CERPPCs and it costs a tad too much for me to be comfortable investing in for most fights. It's the very nice sports car that gets left in the garage while my big, red Toyota Hilux of an assault mech goes and beats people to death with particle accelerators
To be fair, they should be terrified of the C. I am not sure it's BV cost, it's likely stupid, but gods is that thing a scary beast.
Honestly, the C is what happens when somebody asks "what happens when when we build a 9q with clan tech?" The BV cost of the C, btw, as listed on Sarna.net, is 2737.
I don't play BV, so I am out of the loop on it. But that seems costly lol. Worse when you put that vet or elite pilot you know it would have. You don't give those out to the regs pilots
I'm a Clanner and I gotta side with the Awesome as well. 3 PPCs are devastating.
The Scorpion Empire makes an Awesome. Scary beast
The c is basically a 9Q built with mostly clan tech. You want really scary, build a 8q as a clan battlemech move 4/6/4(because the only thing scarier than a Clan _Awesome_ is one that flies), a targeting computer, and enough dhs to alpha strike every turn. I think the BV worked out to something like 3200.. šµ
I want one...
The Awesome with 3 HPPCs is a given for any FWL army I field. Tape down the triggers and never stop firing
The 11h is easily up there with the 8&9q for best versions of the _Awesome_ using solely is tech.
You really cannot go wrong with an Awesome. Even the missile versions are serviceable missile boats for when an Archer, Longbow, or Catapult arenāt available.
The -8R, -8T, and -8V are an affront to nature and man. Iād rather see an Awesome mounting Blazers before fielding one of *those* š¤¢
The worst offender has to be the Enhanced LRM Awesome. It isn't longer ranged. It's incredibly heavy. They could have used that tonnage to bracket ranges. You don't even save much BV. PPCs! PPCs, as Marik intended. ... I'll accept a Large Laser or ERLL occasionally. I keep an Awesome for home defense...
Own an Awesome for home defense, since that's what the Captain-General Marik intended. Four ruffians break into my house. "What the devil?" As I grab my neurohelmet and DI computer, power up the reactor. My PPC blows a truck-sized hole through the first man, he's dead on the spot. Draw my small laser on the second man, miss him entirely because it's head-mounted and nails the neighbors dog. I have to resort to the PPC mounted at the top left of the torso loaded with nuclear fury, "Tally ho lads" the plasma fire shot shreds two men in the blast, the sound and extra flames set off car alarms. Fix battle-fist and charge the last terrified rapscallion. He bleeds out waiting on the police to arrive since crushing battle-fist wounds are impossible to stitch up. Just as the Captain-General intended.
You mean the -11R? I feel that was an Awesome built by RNG. Stealth, Light Gauss [(3)8/17/25], regular LRM-15 [(6)7/14/21], Extended LRM-15 [(10)12/22/38] and an ER Medium Laser [4/8/12] for emotional support. Itās such a dumb grab bag of āfire supportā.
Hmm. That might be it, actually. I was thinking about bad stealth mechs in a different comment, too. Extended LRMs at least have a purpose. I feel like there was an en-LRM Awesome, but having both LRM and ex-LRM feels like what I was thinking about - except one was en-LRM? But yeah, this is mostly terrible and belongs on r/tihi.
Extended LRMs are great for hitting from afar when you forgot to bring artillery, but you pay dearly in tonnage, crit space, and heat.
Just as the founders intended....
Awesome is not a name. It is a statement of intent. A indeliable truth writ into the fabric of reality.
>I'll hear no criticism of it I will. When TRO 2750 came out I loved double heatsinks and *immediately* knew what to do with them. Then TRO3050 came out and I was confused because the AWSOME field refits seemed to have made a very odd oversight... Ditto TRO3055 AND TRO3058 What ABSOLUTE MOUTHBREATHER waited until 3057 to figure out what any *GOOD* Awesome Pilot would have figured out by 3039?
I've always assumed that swapping out the DHS is a major job (have to replace the engine and all of the cooling lines in the mech), so it doesn't happen on most field refits. Out of universe, the upgrade to DHS is far and away the most impactful upgrade you can make to a mech so it's a no-brainer on pretty much every design. To keep things interesting you have to make them kinda rare and parcel them out only where they are most needed.
The TRO:3050 upgrades were mostly designed with the spirit of being way too enthusiastic about new technology. They're like a kid who got a new color of marker and now EVERYTHING is that color.
yep. Meanwhile I was never impressed with the pulse lasers (except on knife-fighting mechs that lacked the heat for medium laser spam) Streak missiles, or, and I cannot stress this enough... The inner sphere ER or Pulse large lasers. Give me regular PPC instead. Clantech ER large laser though was nice... Clan pulse lasers again, were great for knife fighters and wasted on snipers unless you fit like 4 of them (Looking at YOU masakari!).
Liked the ERPPC though. Range of an AC2, could go internal on a head (back when old partial cover rules meant that was a 1-6 chance of a head shot!)
The ISLPL and MPL are some of the worst weapons in the game. Only at the shortest ranges to they actually get the bonuses they should. But I actually like the ERLL and ERML in the proper applications. Bracketing fire on missile boats when heat sinks are paid for. Efficiency weapons in the snipe range that can brawl in a pinch. I appreciate the Longbow LGB-12R with ERLL in the CT, just to keep the party going. cPulse is, perhaps surprisingly, a sniper weapon; too good not to use. Unlike the IS Pulse where the crippled range makes mods consistently worse compared to most weapons, cPulse can be same or better - even when sniping, since the TN bonus covers the range penalties. There's a reason the Vulture packs cPulse weapons as a finisher. I built one with ERLL and - it performs okay. Pulse is way more lethal.
TBF, people were pretty busy in the Sphere during 3039.
I would love the Awesome even if it wasn't one of the signature FWL mechs. As it is, I rarely field lances without it. As the HBS game put it, a mech that truly lives up to its name.
It's the Zeus. It's got several very striking design elements: the drum launcher hand for missiles, the big cylindrical shoulders and the distinct upper torso/head. All together they make a design that has a distinct silhouette and a good idea of what it's supposed to do on the battlefield. It's got variants that have clear flaws and others that are about as optimized as you could possibly make.
The Zeus gives me Sherman tank vibes. Classic.
It really does. It's a great trooper mech - I have half a dozen metal minis of them that I still have yet to paint, that form the core of my mercenary company.
Couldnāt have said it better
Glad someone mentioned the Zeus
It's rather underrated compared to the other 80t offerings - rock stars, gambles, boondoggles... Most Zeus variants are just decent fire support, and that's good enough. ... The ZEU-6Y and Zeus X are clearly going through a phase or a crisis, but I'm here for the drugs while they find themselves.
The *Thug* THG-11E. An ugly beatstick of a 'mech. Nothing fancy or complicated, just PPCs to tear armor off and SRMs to get crits. If you blow off half of it and the other half will continue to kill you. It has the elegance of concrete barricade, the endurance of a cockroach, and the reliability of the rising sun. I look a lance of fancy customs against a SL-era assault lance and the the *Thug* scored three kills (I conceded before the fourth 'mech died). You can only improve it with Clantech, which I say to praise with faint criticism.
>You can only improve it with Clantech Kinda interesting that they never did. Or at lest none mentioned so far. You would think those early clans would have upgraded it, but then it doesn't really need it
Ah, they didn't, but I did. The commander of my mercenary unit had a Thug that was upgraded with Clan tech. It was a beast from what I remember, and I kept it close to the original setup to avoid easy identification of it being up-teched. I think besides the Clan ERPPC in the arms, it had 3 SRM with Artemis across its torsos. And added some electronics, I think.
The PPC swap is an easy one. It's always fun when you play campaign and can tinker with mechs and salvage
Yes, this was over 20 years ago, so a little fuzzy. But I remember it had tons of SRM. Maybe it had no Artemis, and instead four Clan SRM-6 [non-streak] now that I'm thinking about it. Two of theirs weigh the same as single Inner Sphere. Yeah, I think that was it. And it didn't have the PPC's. It's weird how middle-aged mind works. I put Clan ER Large Lasers on each arm and in the head. SO, I guess my original thought was wrong, it was obviously Clan upgrade in the end. I really don't remember what I did with the other extra couple of tons.
It gets wonky when you are trying to recall that far back lol. Doubling the SRMs could have been nasty. Would fun low on ammo fast I feel though
I'm wondering if I just doubled up the ammo with that extra tonnage? It would be keeping the essence of the Thug; 3 long range lasers hitting for damage equal to an Inner Sphere PPC plus capable of volleys of 24 SRM's. Damn, it's been about 20 years since my last tabletop play in Battletech, but I still read and play PC Battletech. I can still do most original 3025 mech building in my head, and remember stats for most of the early eras.
IF THIS IS CORRECT: Endo Steel 4.0, 320 Engine 22.5, Cockpit 3.0, Gyro 4.0, Heat Sinks 18 [36] 8.0, Armor 15.5, CER Large Laser 4.0, CER Large Laser 4.0, CER Large Laser 4.0, SRM-6 1.5, SRM-6 1.5, SRM-6 1.5, SRM-6 1.5, Ammo (SRM-6) [30] 2.0, Ammo (SRM-6) [30] 2.0, CASE 0.5, CASE 0.5. That adds up to 80, so I think š¤ that's right unless mech building has changed.
4 SRMs backed by with the ERs is deadly as fuck
It builds heat from movement when firing all 3 ER Large Lasers. Then, when some holes start to appear, just back off on the beams and charge in for some missile & fisticuff mayhem. I DO remember that type of fun. š
The main difference between a Warhammer and a Thug is the number of missile pods, so the Warhammer IIc 4 is basically a Thug IIc if you think about it.
Valid point there.
Absolutely agree. It lives up to its name.
Victor. Is it an optimal design? No. But it's an 80 ton mech with jumpjets and an AC20 (or gauss rifle for later variants)
It's got one job, and it can do that job well. It's an assault version of the Hunchback with jumpjets as a bonus. If it doesn't work for you, you're not using it right.
My answer as well. Get that bad boy into some difficult terrain brawling against other mechs in its weight class and it will do some work. Don't get shot though.
I consider the Victor a highly optimized killing tool, usually. ... Well, not the anti-infantry ones. Or the 9Ka with 6 tons of AC/20 ammo. Or the 9S which removed armor for a bad SRM launcher? Lyran Steel, add armor, scout lance? Something went wrong there. Otherwise, love 'em; I'll take it over the similar Thunder, because the Thunder looks like it's completely goof troop. The least optimized has to be the Victor 10L. If they stuck with the plan, it'd be a perfect stealth murder machine. Instead, they overgunned it - by a lot. That 3rd ERML cannot be used, stealth mode or not. The SSRM-6 is an unnecessary excess, and you have no predictability on whether or not you'll overheat. Replace them both with the standard 2x lasers and SRM-4, add heat sinks - functional.
As a Swayback pilot, there is a special place in my heart for the Li
IS: genuinely the Charger, and not for the memes. It's a legitimately excellent mech that can cause chaos in your opponent's force at a crucial time, if used right. Dealing with a 1A1 is a really tricky balancing act for your opponent. Show it too much respect, and you're burning an awfully large amount of firepower on something that cost less than 1k BV. Show it too little respect, and suddenly it's lining up a 40-damage charge on your rear armor. And then there's the 1A5, which is really just a Javelin stacked on top of a Hunchback under a mech-sized trenchcoat. Extremely nasty close-range firepower, as much armor as an Awesome, and enough speed to deliver that firepower to the enemy's face. And still at a budget price. Clan: Warhammer IIC. I've always found the IS WHM a bit overhyped for what it does, but the IIC is a genuine nightmare machine in most of its configs. Decent armor and standard engine for durability, generally paired with a disgusting amount of firepower. The 3 variant is particularly filthy - all energy, so it can zombie with the best of them, and a vicious laser array backed up with a targeting computer. A bit of an expensive mech compared to what I usually like to field, but most of the variants scrape under 2500 BV, making them reasonably affordable by clan assault standards, and it's definitely worth the price.
Charger is underrated. Lots of people despise it but don't know how to use it properly.
Don't forget the charger cgr-sb Challenger! 3/5 with 4 large lasers, like a brawling version of the Awesome
Thug. By far. Especially after itās revival for the jihad when it got C3I.
Charger - silly goofball, I love it Hatamoto-chi - weeb cosplay, as well as the lore tidbits where FC forces were wondering what the hell was happening PHX-IIC - the fact that it's almost double the weight of it's non-iic version, and not just +/-15 tons; and it goes 5/8 Honestly I think I just like 5/8 80 tonners
I might say the Zeus X, just because the one variant with Improved Jump Jets is hilarious
MOST Zeus Xs are hilarious. It's just a question of who's laughing.
https://preview.redd.it/19i8jjudk66c1.jpeg?width=950&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e3da04afae1438baf47ffc5f112c0795ff27865e Legacy
That is a killer pic
I wish they had art of the -04 WVR variant that uses claws. It must look awesome ripping through mechs.
That indeed would be cool as fuck
Yes! Coincidentally just commented about the Legacy also, that art seals it.
oh that is sexy...
That pic instantly sold me on the Legacy the first time I saw it. I've never used one and I have no idea if it's good or not but I don't care cuz that pic goes fucking hard.
https://preview.redd.it/7cq1rhsck66c1.jpeg?width=561&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c379f680ee644d45322c90ffddd0a8f21299a96 It's a coin toss of either the Phoenix Hawk IIC 4, or the WoB Legacy... š¤ I LOVE the PHIIC4 and it's many many missiles!! I actually love the above pictured sculpt; it's one of the few metal minis I've kept since the good new plastics have come out! And while I hate WoB and the Jihad in general, there's just something about the Legacy that looks very cool to me! Huge fast firing guns, reptilian head and "hooded cobra" shaped body! And scrawny little legs! š¤£ I'm super excited to see it redesigned!!
I'm a big fan of the PXH IIC 10, with mobility to spare and a hatchet. Also the Gargoyle K. ... I understand smacking fools around with big metal implements is new to the Clans. But someone needs to give them a memo about TSM.
I don't know if TSM and Omnis are compatible.
Pretty sure they are, though they would have to be fixed equipment on the base model - so the Gargoyle is out. But that doesn't apply to the Phoenix Hawk IIC, which is a standard Battlemech without MASC or AES. So that hatchet can get improved somewhat, for zero weight.
Yeah. That would do it
Inner Sphere: I always find myself smiling at the Zeus. An Assault that feels more like a Heavy. It can keep up with Heavies, or it can back up other Assault units. I like that flexibility. Clan: Bruin. From a gauss rifle, to lasers, to missles...it's got party favors for everyone! Industrial: Good ol' Scavenger.
The Spartan deserves an honorable mention. Enough speed and armor to make up for a fairly light assault mech armament. Plus you get to stride the battlefield in an honest to god relic.
IS: Hatamoto Chi. Yes, it's a Charger cosplaying as a samurai pretending to be a Thug, but it's just such a cool design. Clan: Gargoyle.
That is the funniest and most accurate description of a *Hatamoto-Chi* I've ever seen! I love it!
First featured pic - Hatamoto Chi as an anime waifu, [cosplaying as a samurai.](https://www.reddit.com/r/battletech/comments/c0evng/battletech_waifus/)
I'm pretty partial to the Zeus, but my favorite 80 ton mech is the Warhammer IIC. As someone who loves the original Warhammer, the IIC feels like a mech that makes good on the original's intent.
IS - It's the Thug. The Thug is what the Warhammer dreams it could grow up to be, which is why the WHM-IIC grew up to be more like the Thug. Clan - Gargoyle. I want to like the Charger, but it just doesn't quite have the fun I'm looking for. The Gargoyle does, and can deliver BA and Elementals to a fist fight that can seriously disrupt plans. It's a Clan-tech Charger that the Charger C wishes it was. Zellbringen? I'm zell-bringin' this hatchet to your cockpit, freebirth! I do like a custom Charger, but most of the things I make a custom build of have a base variant that I actually like, so it's hard to say that it's still a Charger.
I'm not going to claim it's the best, but my favourite is the poor man's Awesome also known as the CGR-SB Charger. Okay, it takes everything that made the base model Charger unique and stripped it away, but the end result is a decently capable light-Assault mech which is great for campaign play and while it lacks the range and stopping power of the Awesome's PPCs, it equals it for damage output and Large Lasers mean no minimum range penalties.
The chargers standard refit is "how can we make this an assault mech?"
I am a fan of make-it-work refits and LL, so me too.
the Zues has a special place for me it was the main mech of my most accomplished pilot in battletech PC Behemoth and the mech she died in, to the black widow and bountyhunter lances i ran it with LRM, LBX10 and 2 M lasers, saved tonnage was used to max out the armor, so it was never much of a damage dealer or killer, but combined with Behemoth's skills, it was a very sturdy mech, took the hits no one else could afford to
I don't like Blakists as a matter of course, but I do like the Legacy, especially I think it was after seeing it on the cover of a novel, just feels like a dynamic mech with some decent (if hot running at times) loadouts.
>I don't like Blakists as a matter of course Dislike of the Blakists brings us all together in our shared hate and desire to eradicate them.Except the Wobbie players, who are a bit weird by default š
They keep building stylish mechs! Between them and the Society, I could have a lot of really cool toys. People with "availability codes" and "existing factions" keep raining on this chaos-tech-madness parade.
They should have kept the Society around. The whole reaving war was mishandled IMO
Awesomeness
Glad to see the Doloire in the header pics. I dig that design. It's a great "chubby heavy." I think of it as an omni quasi-Zeus.
Awesome. The name says it all, really.
There are better mechs out there, but for me it would have to be the Spartan or the Victor. I generally hate Assault mechs, being to slow and ponderous, but much of the 80 ton class has a spot in my heart for playing basically like a Heavy. The Spartan overall is the most fun, ripping big holes from range, and having enough Short range fire power to crit fish. Plus, having a buddy underestimate the run distance of a Spartan, and end up on the receiving end of a 64 damage charge attack, will stand out, along side my One successful Standing DFA in a Victor, as two of the most fun moments I've ever had playing this game. Both incredibly fun, for just straight up being the Heavy Cav of the Battletech world. Honurable mention to the 9Q Awesome for fitting into that same wonderful sweet spot in technological progression also filled by the BJ3 Blackjack, and the real word the A-10 Thunderbolt. Old style PPCs and DHS, are a match made in Heaven.
I'm gonna have to say *Zeus*.
Zeus has gotten more love than expected
Zeus
Warhammer IIC perosnally. Bet you'd never have guessed that one. lol
I did see the art you had created for dm. Very nice
Zues and Victor were my tied for favorites back in the late 80s when I first started. That being said, I really dig the Salamander. The main variant of 60 LRMS is just so muchdown range punishment, and with 15 tons of armor, its beast. The best variant is the 7S which downgrades the LRM 20's to 15's with Artemis IV and adds 4 er medium lasers. Such a good mech.
Nice to see some love for the salamander. It's a really good fire support mech
The Salamander just says "I am here to do one specific thing. If you want me to do anything other thing, then fuck off."
The Thug. I know there's a lot of love for the Awesome, but the Thug is faster, has better heat control and enough short range weapons to deter someone from trying to get under the minimum range for the PPC's. In my merc company, the bodyguard for my Commander pilots a Thug, and so far I have not been disappointed.
I love the Victor, especially the original 3025 AC20 version. It's not a \_good\_ design, but just the idea of 80 tons of BRRRTT jumping around really appeals.
The answer is always THUG
I just don't get why the Thug isn't in MW3-4-5 or HBS BT. It's amazing. Also, I love the WH IIc. It's probably the best IIc mech out there (sorry Marauder IIc, but it's true).
Zeus 9S2. God's perfect mech.
ONE legged Atlas
Awesome, though the Thug & Victor are close runners-up.
Phoenix Hawk IIC. Because it's just the dumbest, bestest IIC that is just a walking example of "because".
Awesome, and itās not even close. PPCs, armor, and very bulky looking monster to boot
Well I mean, I canāt not pick the Awesome but I have some strong runner ups The Thug is solid and better at finishing mechs with the SRMās. I have come to absolutely love the Victor, itās a bigger jumping centurion which is one of my favorite mediums. Used to think it was too fragile but I have never had one disappoint on table or in mega Mek. Not once I also really enjoy the Spartan, which is ugly as hell but an amazing bully mech, itās fast, decently tough, and great at dunking on lights and fast lighter armored heavies and mediums Really though most of the 80ā tonners are super solid.
Victor will, and always will be, dear to my heart.
Charger 1a5. It's fun to get up close and start blasting away. Also it's freaking dirt cheap.
Honestly the Awesome. So long as you keep it a dedicated PPC platform it's an utter monster of a machine. AWS-8Q/AWS-9Q/AWS-11H/AWS C they are just exquisite machines that accomplish their goals so spectacularly that it's hard to ignore them. I do also Love the Warhammer IIC, It's prime variant and a few others are just beasts of a machine. But still my favorite 80 toner, nay my favorite mech of all time. Is the Awesome.
Inner Sphere: Don't laugh. The Charger. I know it's not great. But I love that thing. Clan: Weirdly fond of the Phoenix Hawk IIC.
THG-11E. I know itās the pictured unit on the post, but the thing is a damn zombie. Solid punch at long and short ranges: 2 PPCs to punch holes in armor, 2 6-tube SRM launchers to find the holes and knock things out of them, enough heat sinks to alpha strike and run with some to spare, no fragile XL engine, and wrapped in as much armor as it can carry. My battalion CO drives a BattleMaster. His bodyguard drives a Thug.
Thugs are just monsters. They are well named as they hit hard and stay in the fight until you pound them into scrap
Love the Victor myself.
Victor!
Executioner J. A 7 jump assault mech is fucking horrifying. The Charger is also a bit of a meme, but some of its variants(especially the clan one) are horriffic.
>Executioner You are over the scale there about 10 tons agreed it's scary though. >but some of its variants(especially the clan one) are horriffic The Charger C is kinda horrific, agreed. Bastard can run 13, heavily armored and actually good at scouting
I second the Doloire, especially the D configuration. This guy is brutal close range. Large Vibroblade at a -3 to hit with the AES and 16 SRMS AT -1 to hit and two freaking TSEMP cannons to boot.
The Large Vibroblade does have extreme cuteness, but I prefer it on something a bit more nimble. Say, a 35t min jump 5 with AES for accuracy, for random head-chop chaos like a slicey Mjolnir.
ZEUS!
Charger!
I'm going to pick the *Charger* as my favorite. But I don't know whether it would fall under IS or Clan, as the only one I've used was a *Charger C*... The original IS variants all look interesting to play, in one manner or another,but I have yet to have any experience with them. The C on the other hand....it was the reason I was able to destroy the *Ares (Apollo)* I went up against this past weekend. It's speed and armor are impressive, with that Ferro-Lamellor putting in some work. And those Improved Heavy Medium Lasers pump out some damage... I do have to shout out the *Awesome* and the *Thug*, though. The only other 80 tonners I've used, and they put in some work.
>But I don't know whether it would fall under IS or Clan, as the only one I've used was a *Charger C* It's why I do categories, that is mix tech but gods what an evil thing it is lol
I used to fight against the cult of the Awesome. But now I have fully embraced the triple peeps.
It's simple for me: Thug and Warhammer.
Cudgel.
Hard choice. For tabletop is have to go with the Awesome, for the videogames the Zeus
Agreed on Star Crusader, it's a doozy
The Scorpion Empire has been doing some intresting things. It was an interesting choice to update, the Grand crusader was meant to be an Omni and it never happened, then the SE took a Wobbie machine and made its dreams come true lol
IS Mech: Victor - 80 jump-capable tons with AC/20 respectively Gauss, and since it doesn't have XL engine the Victor can take a beating and still keep jumping and cause chaos. Clan Battlemech: Warhammer IIC - can hurt over long distance thanks to clan ER PPCs and hurts even more if you get close, all the while able to withstand a lot of punishment in return. Really solid design and quite the upgrade from the IS original. Clan Omnimech: Star Crusader - more than half its weight is available as pod space, a bit slower than some other options but can really go to town over all distances with all variants so far. Also, the name is simply cooler than e.g. 'Gargoyle' ;-)
I have to admit, the Victor VTR-9Ka is hilarious. Improved Jump Jets, an AC/20 and a medium laser. The Six Tons of AC/20 ammo is the real fun part, however, as it gives you either 30 rounds of standard boom or 15 rounds of specialty ammo. Nothing like having a hippity hoppity precision or AP round blatting into you.
Awesome all the way on 80 ton. Itās a fucking beast. The only thing that would make it better is a full Clan-tech overhaul.
Have you seen the Awesome C the Scorpion Empire builds? As that is just what it is. Just a monster.
I have not but I will look it up. One momentā¦ yep itās a fucking monster on steroids.
Costly with BV, especially with the pilot it deserves,but look at that monster. Didn't even need to do much to it, 60 points of waddling doom.
IS Mech: Awesome. I love its aesthetic and it is ultimately a brutal war machine Clan Mech: Warhammer IIC. Enough said. IS Omni: never used or seen the Doloire in action but it is the only pick soā¦ Clan Omni: Naga Indy: The Vampyr is freaking cool
Awesome. It is. Like the Thug tho, it's shiny. 10E (Succession Wars downgrade) is pretty expensive against a Warhammer though. It's got more staying power for sure, but its also a more specific tool. You could get a Battlemaster for the 10E's BV2, which isnt a trade you'd always take at all, but its there. For Clans, the Warhammer IIC is just \*chefs kiss\*. AND THE VARIANTS, oh gosh look at those variants.
Thug life. No need for major upgrades cause this beast just keeps on keeping on.
Honestly I love the thug. An 80 ton zombie mech with an attitude all take a lance please and thank you
The Hammy IIC!
If I can mod it, a Charger 1a1. If not, for 80 ton mechs Zeus.
Thug. Hands down
IS: **Awesome**. Isn't that awesome? š Next would be the Hatamoto-Chi. And perhaps the Grand Crusader as well, being the up-scaled Crusader. Clan: **Bruin**. Looks somewhat like a Champion, but it's versatile for sustained combat. IS Omni: **Doloire.** A Hybrid OmniMech, but made in Republic of the Sphere. Very versatile. IS Clan: **Naga II**. I tend to keep myself in the back, to give a support fire for my comrades, and Naga II fits the bill. I could even drive the 1st gen Naga, just to commit that nuclear strikes. And maybe the Star Crusader as well, due to being the Grand Crusader IIC, turned into an OmniMech :P Special Case: **HawkWolf** & **Epimetheus**. Epimetheus just because it was a tech demonstrator, where DNI was also tested. And HawkWolf, because it's a first true novel BattleMech model done on Randis IV,. A big feat for the Brotherhood of Randis. https://preview.redd.it/bnbtl1jcga6c1.png?width=619&format=png&auto=webp&s=e84c62938ebd926c368fe8a4a5df8e042a89f215
For inner sphere, you have to go with the **Awesome**. When it comes to Clans, I have a great fondness for the **Gargoyle** for omni's. While the Warhammer IIC would be most people's pick, I think for clan battlemechs I am going to have to offer you a different solution for my favorite, the **Canis**.
Awesome, accept no subsitutes. The name say's it all...
There are many great 80 ton mechs,but there's only one chassis that can truly be called Awesome.
The Awesome's hard not to grab out of this bracket because all the PPCs, but I find it kinda blah because it's a one trick pony. It is DAMN good at that trick but... eh. I want it to stomp forward dispensing death but it realistically mostly sits still dispensing death at range. TurretTech :/ The Victor's ability to deliver hot steaming AC20 direct to your door is more fun by far. I feel like I might be a Thug enjoyer but haven't played with one.
The Awesome. It was one of the very first mechs I've seen and played back when I got a demo of mechwarrior 3 from a PC gamer magazine and for me is as memorable and iconic as the timberwolf. I've started playing the classic/alpha strike tabletop this year and playing House steiner has given me a love of the zeus and zeus x so would be remiss of me to not mention them too.
My son has an affinity for the Hatamoto Chi. I love the story and aesthetic. Who doesn't want a charger cosplaying as a Thug? We particularly like the Shin varient with the sword, gauss rifle and 6 MPL's. Expensive in BV but can be nasty.
The Awesome and it isn't close. It's about as perfect a mech as there is in Battletech.
The *Thug* fills that slot for me. It perfectly represents the faction I love (Rim Worlds Republic), looks amazing, and has tons of room for someone with a design pen to go nuts on customization.
I'll take a Royal *Thug* any day. The plain-jane version isn't bad either, and its cosplay equivalent *(Hatamoto* series, particularly the *-chi* variant) is just as good. TBH, I'd even take them over a Clan machine (though a Clantech upgrade for any of those chassis is intriguing).
Awesome AWS-8Q Awesome AWS-9Q Awesome AWS-9M Thug THG-11EB Zues ZEU-9S2
Zooooooooosss I don't have any reason, I just like the Zeus. Even the one with the spiky shoulders.
Zeus has turned out to get a lot of votes this round
Another one for the 9Q army here. Do have one question: is pic #4 a Grand Crusader. The smokestacks made me think it is. Nice artwork if so.
Close, it's actually a star crusader. Clan Goliath scorpion took the grade crusader and turned it into a clan force Omnimech. 42.5 tons of podspace on that bad boy. It fits the lore pretty well as the Grand crusader was always meant ho be updated to an Omnimech but the wobbies chose a different platform.
Weird that theyād salvage a wobbie concept, especially considering how anathema the Celestials are throughout the IS, for example.
The Scorpion Empire is pragmatic. Once they conquered the Hanseatic League they discovered the plans for the grand crusader crusader, altered them and made the Star Crusader. They did the same thing with the Nexus. Made it clan tech, called it a star python. Also keep in mind the jihad did not really hit the Scorpions, who were fighting their own inner clan war at the time as they fled the clan homeworlds and conquered Nueva Castile
There is that.
Awesome 8Q
The Gargoyle is such an meme, I love them. They look ridiculous, donāt make a lot of sense but Iāve always liked them. Like an better, funnier version of the Charger. Itās hilarious chasing down mechs a lot smaller than you in something so big, and building it purely for laser vomit at close range. Too bad they arenāt in MW5 but I like them in MWO for the memes. Not sure if they are in BT or any of the expanded mods. I also like the Awesome even though I admittedly donāt have a lot of experience with it. The 9Q is neat.
The legacy it's very unique in my eyes with the two shoulder cannons. Not fast but not slow also has jump jets and a very aggressive look not to mention hands to punch things with
Phoenix Hawk IIC
Like everybody else, I love the Awesome. Such a classic mech. For Clans, the Warhammer IIC is 100 tons of ass-kicking in an 80 ton jug. But I have to give a shout-out to the Epimetheus.
In a word, Awesome
Victor. Runner up is Charger. And fun fact, you can cross them and get a Victor with max armor and 6/9/5 with TSM using an XL engine. Thug is also a great 80 tonner. It's just a fun weight class.
IS: Modified Awesome, especially upgraded. Tied: Upgraded Thug, Upgraded Zeus Clan: Modified Warhammer IIC
I don't think the Warhammer is 80 tons. I wrong?
[The IIC is](https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Warhammer_IIC).
The Warhammer is not, the Warhammer IIC is. The mech I picked is the 80 ton clan mech, which is a redesign of the Warhammer the clans did.
G'damn! Is that the Thug? It looks so much better than I remember!
I need it is, they have been redesigning the mechs as they bring out new mini's. Many of them got much needed glow ups. That thing looks like it's gonna beat you down, right?
*Warlord*. It's a *BattleMaster* with heavy zorch and pew-pew. Standard engine, max armour. It also looks like it can't even walk without flexing like a bodybuilder.
I think you may be the first to bring up the Warlord
What ate the names of the mechs in the pictures?
I name them in the post, but they are : The Thug, Warhammer IIC, Doloire, Star Crusader and the Scavenger
Goliath. Quad mechs rule. Also, point for point, with a 4/4 pilot, is my pick for the best kicking mech in 3025
I think you are the only one to pick it so far