MECH OF THE WEEK: August 14, 2015BLACK LANNER
First appearing in TRO:3058, the
Black Lanner (named after a medium-sized Falcon common to Africa and Europe) was the product of Clan Jade Falcon Scientists and Warriors. The first known examples saw action during the Revival Trials immediately before the launch of Operation Revival; however, it apparently did not enter the Falcon Touman in appreciable numbers until 3052 when it appeared in the Battle of Tukayyid.
Not too many folks seem to have good things to say about the
Black Lanner (at least in my gaming community) . . . but I reckon that I am the exception. I've always had a soft spot in my heart of this bird of prey. Part of everyone's . . . dislike . . . of this OmniMech may be on the
absolutely horrid artwork in TRO:3058! I know that when I first got my copy of that Technical Readout, I took one look and went . . .
W T F?!?
Frankly, I prefer Sam Wood's rendition from the Collectible Card Game.
He at least made the
Black Lanner look
cool, not like a trussed up turkey being served for Thanksgiving Dinner!
Ahem. Rant is now finished . . . so back to the article.
The
Black Lanner masses 55 tons and uses the Holy Trinity of an XL engine, endo-steel internal structure, and ferro-fibrous armor to squeeze the most out of that chassis. Of course, this is nothing new to Clan 55-ton OmniMechs; the
Stormcrow had already done that in TRO:3050!
And compared to the pod-space of
that stellar OmniMech (23.0 tons) . . . on first glance, the
Black Lanner seems to come up short. A mere 13.0 tons.
Wait. What? How?
Glad that you asked. You see, the
Black Lanner is faster than the
Stormcrow with a base 7/11 movement (385XL) versus the older Omni's 6/9 (330XL). That engine
alone cost us 9.5 tons.
OUCH!!But wait! The Falcons
really like their new fast OmniMechs . . . we can go faster. The
Black Lanner adds a two ton MASC (Myomer Acceleration Signal Circuitry) system that lets this raptor sprint at 14.
FOURTEEN!!!!
Yep, she's faster than an
Ice Ferret when that MASC kicks in . . . and can
almost pace a
Fire Moth that isn't using
their MASC!
Now, nothing in life comes cheap (or free) and the Falcon Scientists had to skimp elsewhere to get that thirteen tons of pod-space . . . and they cut back on the armor. Eight tons of ferro-fibrous gives us 153 points out of a theoretical 185 at maximum; just under 83% of maximum protection.
That ain't
too bad,
trothkin. This bird has more armor than a
Dragonfly, an
Ice Ferret, a
Mongrel, a
Shadow Cat, or a
Hellbringer (okay, okay, that was a cheap stab at the
Hellbie; I admit it!).
She's only got 10 points less than a
Mad Dog, after all (sure, that is a low bar, but hey? What do you want?
Everything?).
The head has got 9 points protecting it--100% protection for the Warrior and as good as it ever gets. The center torso (front) has 25 points (plus 18 internal, so it can (in theory) take two AC-20 shots without dying!), while the rear has 7 (enough to tank a Clan ER Medium Laser hit).
The side torsos are weaker with 16 front (two IS Large Laser hits or a Gauss slug before penetrating, plus another 13 internal) and 5 rear (okay, a little weak here since a fall will go internal on you).
The legs are
good with 22 points each (plus 13 internal). But the arms are
really weak . . . 13 points of armor isn't a lot. Especially with just 9 structure behind them. Frankly, I'd rather they skimmed two points from each leg (to 20 each) and moved them to the arms (15 and able to survive a Gauss slug or Clan ER PPC strike without going internal) . . . but if wishes were horses then everyone would be riding!
We've got lots of free space within the engine core, but for once the Scientists have got the right idea--don't bank heat sinks when your pod-space is already on the low side. Just the standard 10 DHS, thank you much, ma'am, can I have another?
Now, let us take a look at the Configurations.
The
Black Lanner Prime has a good deal going for it. In theory. The main gun is an ER Large Laser in the right arm, with a pair of ER Medium Lasers stacked and packed in the left arm. But that ain't all, sports fans! We've got an LRM-10 (with 12 shots) in the left torso and an SRM-6 (with 15 shots) in the right torso . . . plus an ECM Suite.
Okay. Heat is a problem here--32 max versus 20 sinked. However, as long as you don't Alpha Strike, it should be good. In close, you can unload the twin ER Mediums, the SRM-6, and the LRM-10, run, and still be heat neutral. Of course, you don't really have the ammo to spare after sparring at range alongside the ER Large . . . but that's life.
Configuration A is quite another beast. The main gun this time around is an ER PPC in the right arm, with paired Medium Pulse Lasers in the left arm. Once again, the head has an ECM Suite . . . but we also add an Active Probe (right torso) and a TAG target designation system (left torso). No extra DHS, but the overheat ain't bad for a Clan OmniMech of this era. +5 max on a running Alpha. Come on, ya'll can handle that, can't you, Warriors?
This configuration is a superb scout . . . and more than that is an outstanding scout
hunter. Think about it. Sure, the armor isn't maxed out and she doesn't carry an entire DropShip's amount of weapons . . . but anything that can outrun her simply
cannot outfight her!
If I was stoked about the A, I'm kind of
meh about the
Black Lanner B. Unlike the first two, this one can't overheat . . . max heat production is fourteen including movement. And the reason for that? The design carries two LRM-20s (right arm and left arm) with three tons of ammunition
total (stored 1 in the right torso and 2 in the left!)--and that is it. That's right, peeps . . .
NINE salvoes and then you are completely lacking in offense of any kind. Except physicals and Clanners ain't too big on those . . . especially
Jade Falcon Warriors!
Moving on to the
Black Lanner C, then. Oh, they added three extra DHS . . . why would they do . . . OH. MY. GOD.
The right arm carries a Streak SRM-6 with a ton of ammo (15 missile flights). But the
left arm seems to have been taken entirely from a
Nova Prime!
SIX ER Medium Lasers!! Sigh.
Okay, the damage in close is extreme (so is the heat, with max overheat of +10 if the Streaks lock and you run) . . . but why did they have to concentrate
all six of the bloody pocket large lasers in
ONE FREAKING ARM that has THIRTEEN points of armor?!?
Still, if getting in close and mugging your opponent is your idea of a good time, then this is your ride!
Oh boy. You knew it had to be coming, didn't you? The obligatory anti-personnel configuration. The
Black Lanner D has got something for everyone. First off, she has an Active Probe in the head so infantry can't ambush her (or her starmates). Each arm carries a Medium Pulse Laser, an ER Small Laser, and two Machine-Guns (fed from a half-ton of ammo in the left torso). The left torso also has a Flamer!! And just for fun, fun, fun in the desert sun, we have two SRM-6 racks (right torso and left torso) with two tons of ammo in the right torso (so we can load up standard and inferno; won't that make the PBI's day, mates!).
Only the standard 10 DHS, but overheat isn't that bad; just +5 if you shoot
everything and run. We can manage.
And then comes along the
Black Lanner E. Surprise, surprise, surprise! We have ATMs!! Well, one ATM-12 in the left arm (but with THREE tons of ammo for 15 missile flights and the possibility of carrying all three types of munitions) and (sigh) three ER Medium Lasers all concentrated in the left arm. Just 10 DHS and this is starting to sound familiar because max overheat is +5. Did they deliberately design the
Black Lanners to aim for the same amount of overheat in half the configs?
The
Black Lanner H comes next. The big gun (short-ranged as it may be) is a Heavy Large Laser in the right arm, backed up by two Medium Pulse Lasers in the left arm. An ECM Suite in the head rounds out the armament. However, we did get four additional DHS and
this H configuration is heat-neutral! Good GOD, ya'll! A heavy laser Omni that doesn't overheat? AT ALL?
Last is the experimental
Black Lanner X. Just three guns on this puppy, and once again we are in for a pleasant surprise. Two Improved Heavy Medium Lasers are in a twin mount on the left arm (and even with just 10 DHS we are good on heat!! Twice in a row!! Woooh!!). But the main gun is a
Clan Rotary AC-2 in the right arm. With a hefty two-ton magazine for 90 bursts! Well, if it works, this one can definitely lay down some pain (and lead) both at range and in close.
So how do you use a
Black Lanner?
Carefully.
You've got speed in spades and some good firepower (in most configurations, at least) but your armor is pretty fragile for a Clan Medium-weight Omni. It's more than the
Ice Ferret or
Mongrel, though; still you have to watch out. Don't get it stuck in too deep; if you are trying to duel (under
zellbrigen) a
Timber Wolf, then you are out of your league by a country mile. Or you have bigger balls than I do, at least.
Pick on the enemy Mediums and Lights . . . against
those you've got the armor and weapons and speed to hammer them into dust. Against larger 'Mech's use that speed (but be cautious and don't overuse the MASC or you
will regret it) and actually
maneuver using terrain to get your shots at their weaker rear armor.
This is one Omni that rewards a
thinking player; don't ever give a
Black Lanner to someone who just shouts "LEROY JENKINS!" and charges in without a care in the world! Always use your Elementals as ablative armor until you get close enough to drop them off; if you have them, make the best use of them!
This little songbird ain't the prettiest gal at the ball, and she isn't the most robust or the strongest. But she sho'nuff can turn some heads in the right hands.
I was thinking about adding in the Alpha Strike stuff . . . but I haven't really had the time to dig in and read thoroughly thru the rules; I'm still feeling my way around. Perhaps someone will do the Alpha Strike
Black Lanner soon. (Hint, hint, Scotty!)
Hope that ya'll enjoyed this article; feel free to add your comments below and be sure to tell me what I got wrong.
MA
Author
Topic: Critique my Mech of the Week . . . Please (Read 509 times)