OBT Forum

Just about that time folks and I am off to bed.  Get those designs in the next few minutes.

Sorry for the delay on the review gang. Hope your all enjoying your Labor Day here in the States. So down to business, there were nine challengers for the Woodsman spot by six different designers. Rankings will as a result be from ten to one with your designs squaring off against the reintroduced Woodsman by Clan Coyote. Like the Lupus I was asking for a design that could not only beat its competitors on the battlefield but in the factory as well. Expediting production by means of existing design was important.

10. Jaeger Arachnid (Shadow Wraith)
It was good to have you back in the ring Shadow Wraith with an excellent Diamond Shark entry that relied on other Clans as well. Spreading the effort to Snow Raven, Goliath Scorpion, and Blood Spirit was a nice touch. Negotiating with the Wolves for the use of the Timber Wolf chassis was another positive and makes a whole lot of sense. Even though you did not point out using a 300 Fusion Engine would be an available plus and as such this design could easily beat the Woodsman back into production. The design itself is very interesting with a 4/6 ( 8 ) /2 movement profile that outdoes the Woodsman. It was an interesting choice to include the integral minor jump jets for added maneuverability. 30 tons of pod space also beats out the Woodsman and the configurations which include anti missile systems are well done. 11 tons of ferro fibrous armor (211 factor) is not full protection but it does come close to matching the Woodsman. Good job with the fluff BUT the name is a big draw back. The Arachnid would have been cool or even the Hunter but Jaeger does not fit to me. I appreciate you were trying to get a mission specific niche name (and it is very Pacific Rim) but why not draw on the old SLDF for inspiration? Something like the Black Heart (old Star League special forces) or even the Ranger (keeping with the Woodsman theme) would have fit gotten you much higher in this contest. I am sorry bud. Please remember Star League English names are what I am going for and I hope to see you in the next contest.

9. Canis (drakensis)
While a nice idea the use of the Orion IIc as a basis creates multiple problems to me. The Wolves jealously guard Kerensky’s battle ride so even if the Coyotes managed to get it by negotiation or combat the process would not be easy and hence time consuming. I realize the two Clans are friendly but the Yotes are not currently manufacturing this BattleMech which also means there would be a production lag. The Canis is a good name and since that second line BattleMech has yet to enter production I have no problem with the name but Hunter would have been fine too. I will say the design itself is very solid and beats the Woodsman in basically all respects. It has better protection with 12 tons of ferro fibrous (230 armor factor) and 32 tons of pod space providing more offense. While leaving the MASC out makes it “slower” than the Woodsman in certain situations it removes the single biggest reason why it may have been ultimately banished to the Brain Cache. Ultimately it is production concerns that lead me to place the Canis below the Woodsman for this contest.

8. Iron Golem II (Abele)
Man, Steel Viper really wanted to win this contest with three entries showing their contempt for the Coyotes and their Wolf allies. Basically Abele took his 60 ton Zombie entry based on the Matador and cranked up the tonnage by 15 drawing on the Awesome for appearance. Not bad but none of that really helps the design production which would have to be radically changed to incorporate such a shift. Finding the 300 Fusion Engine for a 4/6 movement rate would not be that difficult but you also dropped the integral jump jets from the original Iron Golem. Having 34 tons of pod space ties you for second most in this contest and your configurations are pretty solid. The 12 tons of ferro fibrous armor (230 factor) provide better protection than the Woodsman but in this case I think the Vipers bit off more than they could chew. I think the Woodsman design while inferior to the IG II would easily beat it into production and such a drastic upgrade in tonnage could have other unforeseen consequences.

7. Woodsman
This highly capable design that nearly maximizes Clan tech even in a 3052 era would be formidable against the InnerSphere. Only real improvement designers can really make is the inclusion of Ferro Fibrous armor which would admittedly eat up internal space. The stigma of MASC failure and its retirement among the Clans is a tremendous obstacle to be overcome however. Again the Woodsman faces the same political concerns that the Lupus did if fully re-approved. The ilKhan would be endorsing an already failed design which opponents of the Zombie philosophy would use as fodder for political gain. So any newcomers who at least match this design’s capabilities, usefulness, ease of maintenance, and production readiness stand a good chance of defeating this proud relic.

6. Maverick (drakensis)
This remake of the Timber Wolf by the Diamond Sharks is a pretty awesome concept. I just wish there was more of a story. Sure the Mad Cat II could have been in the works and would provide inspiration perhaps even lend to its name. However there really is not much of a background here sadly. Using the Timber Wolf chassis and the ubiquitous 300 standard does boost production time undeniably but would the Wolves negotiate? Likely if included in the deal somehow but that is not stated. With its 300 Fusion Engine and 4/6 movement rate this design really goes back to its Mad Cat roots. Its 32 tons of pod space is impressive and again touches on its predecessors nicely. Again this design lacks the MASC which given the Woodsman’s drawback is not a major concern. A dozen tons of ferro fibrous armor (230 factor) again beats the Woodsman yet once more. I do not think the Diamond Sharks have really embraced the whole ArkShip angle yet so having the primary factory on board the CDS Potemkin is a tad premature. So good try here drak just a bit underdone unfortunately.

5. Arctic Horror (JPArtiber)
A very interesting name here JP for this Coyote entry to improve on the venerable Woodsman. Kountze being a Federated Suns located deep in the Edgeward of the Robinson March is perhaps best known for this native terror. Then you wave the ancient Hammerhand into the design as a basis for this true zombie. Even though you violate the design criteria here the overall story and blend is interesting enough for me to wave any objections. Using the Woodsman chassis would save time but I would have liked to have heard where you would have gotten the 225 Fusion Engine from. Nonetheless you hit us with an amazing 40 tons of pod space which is really terrifying! The configurations including a nasty Warhammer/Archer combo for primary, my favorite Gauss/ER PPC combo in H, as well as an artillery one that are very nicely done with only heat being a major concern. It has more protection then the Woodsman thanks to 14 tons of armor (a 224 factor). So with everything taken into account you beat the Woodsman in all but battlefield speed but the only thing it can do is run the other direction. However other designs submitted better fit the OmniMech role I am looking for however what I would like to do is make this into a second line BattleMech from the Coyotes. Like the Star Adders did in the canon storyline with the Hellfire (Lupus) it would transition from the Woodsman. Awesome job here JP!

4. Woodsman II (LordGrayson)
This is an excellent concept of simply reintroducing a maximized Woodsman to produce a next generation Zombie. While originally a Wolf design you are correct in asserting that it may have long since been won by other Clans like the Blood Spirits and Fire Mandrill. Plus I like the whole idea of simply undercutting the Coyotes and the Wolves something the Crusaders from both of these Clans would relish. Upgrades of the older Woodsman and boosting production speed by way of Hell’s Horses 300 Fusion Engines found on the Mars Assault Tank means you can beat the original back into production. The inclusion of 12 tons of ferro fibrous armor (230 factor) is key to outdoing the original which lacks the protection of this successor. Plus 29 tons of pod space gives it more striking power despite many of its configurations merely improving on the original. Finally it matches the 4/6 ( 8 ) movement profile of the original which could be considered a drawback by some critics but would probably be utilized differently given the lessons of the past. Very nice job!

3. Lioness (JPArbiter)
Another nasty quad with turret from the mind of Phelan (Kell) Ward which I definitely have a soft spot for. Excellent job by the Wolves seeking an ally to further production, Coyote is a nice choice. Blood Spirit has probably been most successful in accomplishing this during Quicksilver but I am seeing other Clans spurred on by such cooperation. Despite the production concerns from creating a new chassis using a Goliath as basis as well as ideas drawn from the Timber Wolf and the Gargoyle really won me over. The 300 Fusion Engine makes it go 4/6 and the lack of a MASC does not really impact it negative in comparison to the Woodsman. Using EndoSteel and being a Quad does impact your internal space but 14 tons of standard armor (222 factor) plate provides excellent protection without sacrificing further criticals. With 30 tons of pod space you beat the Woodsman and again have assembled some nice configurations geared toward the defense long range stand offs including artillery. Awesome design which was only beat out by two designs, sorry bud otherwise perfect job with fluff and design

2. Monitor (Abele)
While the Steel Vipers violated the design criteria with a 3/5 movement the lack of critical space on a Quad design makes a smaller engine necessary and vital. Using an EndoSteel structure and Ferro Fibrous armor would have been a major drawback for such a heavy Omni. Therefore not only is such a violation justifiable but it was exactly what I was looking for. Especially out of a 75 tonner which is so close to the assault weight class anyways. In my opinion you really did not even need the MASC to boost movement which is why I did not want to change the criteria. It is a bonus for this very nasty quad however which does have a great name and image. With 31 tons of pod space and configurations based largely on the Xanthos this design is truly Viper like. Scaling down the Xanthos was inspired and getting there via ways of an abandoned second line Mech called the Thunder Lizard was a nice touch. However there is no existing production that the design can draw upon. Also 15.5 tons of standard armor plating produces a max 247 armor factor which goes slightly overboard but only by a single point. Despite these two drawbacks this design is nearly perfect and finishes in second place. Great job, I really liked this one a bunch.

1. Golden Lion (masterarminas)
Once again a brilliant job by masterarminas with this slap to the face of the Wolves, this time by Steel Viper. With help from Goliath Scorpion this entry remakes the Black Python (Viper) into an impressive Clan Zombie OmniMech. The Scorpions step up to make the 300 Fusion Engines for the design and converting existing lines to this chassis would not be difficult. Likely it would be the fastest and utilize the greatest amount of existing materials in the field including Black Pythons which could be converted. The Golden Lion name is cool and is a direct challenge to Wolf especially the 328th Assault Cluster, well done. 34 tons of pod space is hefty indeed even if it accomplishes it by leaving out two integral double heat sinks. Configuration A does a nice job of once again tweaking the Wolves and D is an insane Smoke Jaguar kill machine. The 230 armor factor thanks to 12 tons of ferro fibrous is again superior to the poor Woodsman who only thanks to its MASC beats the Golden Lion in speed some times. Again I think it is plus to eliminate a potential problem here especially one that the Woodsman suffers from. Top marks and congrats on the gold for this lion.

The Vipers really out did themselves in this challenge folks producing the top two designs. Good competition between them and the Coyotes for this spot with the Diamond Sharks coming in next for sheer level of participation. However their entries were both outdone by Blood Spirit-Fire Mandrill alliance. Well that finishes up the heavies folks, we will be moving on to the assaults where we have a lot of work to do and I for one am very excited to see what is to come. See you again very soon!

Congratulations to the winner!  Off to the next category!  Thanks for the feedback!

Oh, I had meant to add one final configuration to the Golden Lion . . . but ran out of time.  Anyway, here it is:

Golden Lion

Mass: 75 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped Omnimech
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 3052
Cost: 7,519,531 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,024

Chassis: Viper BP2-O Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Tokasha 300 300 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Armorweave NK 62 Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    34.0 tons of pod space.
Manufacturer: New Kent Armorworks
    Primary Factory: New Kent
Communications System: Mercer 974
Targeting and Tracking System: GEG Pattern 491/8
================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel                   114 points                4.00
    Internal Locations: 1 HD, 2 LT, 2 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine:             Fusion Engine                300                      19.00
    Walking MP: 4
    Running MP: 6
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             10(20)                    0.00
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA    R: SH+UA
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV - 230                 12.00
    Armor Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     23           35       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  10       
                                           L/R Torso     16           24       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  8         
                                             L/R Arm     12           24       
                                             L/R Leg     16           32       



================================================================================
Loadout Name: G                                              Cost: 10,057,031
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-E                         BV2: 2,012
Rules Level: Advanced Rules

Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    CASE Locations: LT, RT                                                 0.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA    R: SH+UA

Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrow IV Missile                             RT/RA     10        2/10     12.00
ER Medium Laser                              RT        5         1         1.00
Arrow IV Missile                             LT/LA     10        2/10     12.00
ER Medium Laser                              LT        5         1         1.00
@Arrow IV (Cluster) (5)                      RT        -         1         1.00
@Arrow IV (Homing) (5)                       RT        -         1         1.00
@Arrow IV (Non-Home) (5)                     RT        -         1         1.00
@Arrow IV (FASCAM) (5)                       RT        -         1         1.00
@Arrow IV (Cluster) (5)                      LT        -         1         1.00
@Arrow IV (Homing) (5)                       LT        -         1         1.00
@Arrow IV (Non-Home) (5)                     LT        -         1         1.00
@Arrow IV (FASCAM) (5)                       LT        -         1         1.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 3

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      8    Points: 20
4          4       1       0       0      3     1   Structure:  6
Special Abilities: OMNI, ARTAC, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
The Golden Lion G can serve as a replacement for the Naga artillery OmniMech.  Although the Steel Vipers vehemently opposed the concept of Configuration G, the ilKhan himself insisted on its inclusion.  Armament consists of two Arrow IV missile launchers (right arm/torso, left arm/torso) each fed by a massive FOUR tons of ammunition (for a total of forty artillery rockets!).  Two ER Medium Lasers (right torso and left torso) serve as secondary weapons.  Khan Zalman declared the configuration dezgra and has vowed that the Vipers will never utilize it; other Clans who fought in the Inner Sphere are eyeing it closely for its specialized bombardment role on a chassis that is not relegated only to artillery support.

MA

Well done MA and to the other three designers who beat me this time. Please ignore my dour face  I think we all know I get a bit too competitive about these sometimes.