Topic: Optimizing the UrbanMech (Read 9331 times)

Takiro · « **on:** November 10, 2019, 09:39:16 PM »

Contest number seven in our core Mechs of the InnerSphere series looks at one of BattleTechâ€™s most renowned BattleMechs, the UrbanMech. Personally, I never got the humorous urban â€˜bugâ€™ that many BattleTechers got for this trashcan on legs but after years of play I do have to admit it has a place in universe. My loyal posters will also have a feeling of dÃ©jÃ vu as yes we have sort of worked on this design before. Earlier this year in a most epic jump of the gun ever on these boards Bradshaw began the Post Your UrbanMechs!! Thread. I will post that link along with the Mech of the Week Article on the Urbie from the CBT Forums as well as the BattleTech wiki for your inspection and inspiration.

https://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/index.php?topic=3748.0

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,45050.0.html

https://www.sarna.net/wiki/UrbanMech

Optimal Design Thoughts on the UrbanMech

Role. The niche of the UrbanMech is well spelled out in its name and like a fish out of water if fighting outside a city in open terrain than forget about it as my Italian friends would say. This war machine is supposed to utilize the close confines of a metropolitan area in order to deliver death and destruction to any would be attacker. I am almost tempted to say it is â€˜Bugâ€™ or Militia Mech unable to stand up to the rigors of true frontline duty but a valuable garrison resource in cityscapes. Either operating as a last-ditch defender or urban pacifier operating with other conventional forces it would truly be at home on the streets of any future megalopolis

Factories. 0 [2].

[DESTROYED] Marcus (Orguss Industries) Terran Hegemony / Free World League
First built in 2675 during the Star League which produced large numbers of this BattleMech till its destruction in 2837. Marcus itself changed allegiances from the defunct Terran Hegemony to the expanding Free Worlds League in 2785.

[FUTURE] Betelgeuse (Hellespont Industrials) Capellan Confederation
Apparently reactivated during the Jihad this facility was apparently shuttered at some point during the Succession Wars.

Internal Structure. The three-ton Republic-R chassis that has long served as the core of the UrbanMech but I would love to try EndoSteel here. Critical spaces are easy to come by thanks to it being a Light Mech and the weight savings would result in one and a half tons of savings. Trouble is the Urbie has long been out of production and we'd need a functional factory somewhere in order to make some EndoSteel skeletons. So unless you come up with someone starting up a new manufacturing plant somewhere for this then we might be stuck with the old Republic-R.

Engine. Here is where I rip the Urbie a new one as it's base 2/3 speed is slow even for an assault Mech. That a Light BattleMech is so freaking slothful is unforgivable to me. These units depend on their inherent quickness in order to survive and it is suicide to go toe to toe with other Mechs. I would certainly like to see entries here take it up a notch. Personally I think the minimum movement for a Light should be 6/9, Mediums 5/8, Heavies 4/6, and Assaults 3/5. Now rules are made to be broken but the point here is the UrbanMech needs to get faster. As for Extra-Light Engines they may take away from the UrbanMech's toughness so we may be better off with a larger standard Fusion Power Plant. Up to you folks!

Jump Jets. The two Pitban 6000 jump jets on the UrbanMech maybe it's best movement feature. While I'll hammer the low speed of this design at least it jumps. I know it is only twenty meters but still this mobility is something which may exceed the meager running movement in some ways like the ability to change facing. I would thinm these are must for navigating the urban enviroment so gonna require them to be a part of your designs here. It just wouldn't be an Urbie without Jump Jets!

Heat Sinks. Why does this thing have 11 Single Heat Sinks? With its main ballistic armament and little movement heat to generate were the designers afraid of massed Flamers overheating this thing? Getting rid of the one extra heat sink to retain the base 10 seems like a no-brainer here. Can't say the same for Double Heat Sinks though as they occupy 3 criticals and the tiny base Engine incorporates only 2. That is a whooping 24 criticals! If you go with a larger Engine that would of course alter this equation.

Cockpit & Gyro. Not much can be done here to improve the performance of the UrbanMech given the available level of technology. Both components appear to be plentiful and have proven to be reliable over time. However, if your engine rating goes up you may need to double your gyroscope in order to compensate for the larger power plant.

Armor. The UrbanMech is well protected for a canon Light BattleMech with six tons of armor plating or a 96 armor factor. As with the other 30-ton Mechs it has a 105 maximum armor factor and with 6.5 tons of standard armor a near max 104 armor factor could be generated. InnerSphere Ferro-Fibrous (x 1.12) brings you slightly over max factor with 6 tons of that advanced armor generating a 108 factor. I donâ€™t like wasting armor points but 5.5 tons only gets you to a 99 armor factor. In any event ferro-fibrous is only gonna save you a half a ton or a ton at most. Iâ€™d rather go with EndoSteel but Ferro-Fibrous is far more available and easier to refit existing models.

Weapons & Equipment. Heavier ballistic weapons are usually a fit for larger Mechs but not so in the case. In my opinion energy weapons and Light Mechs are a better match but the amount of tonnage available combined with a low number of integral Engine heat Sinks may nix those plans here. Missiles might be better served here but again this is all up to you. Just one more thought here - do the arms flip? Without lower arm or hand actuators and the Urbie's barrel arms being able to flip over would help tremendously with its low maneuverability.

Design Criteria
Design: UrbanMech Light BattleMech
Era: 3052, just following the Truce of Tukayyid
Tech: InnerSphere Level 2
Mass: 30 tons
Jump Jets: a must!

Tech Base
The tech base for this enterprise will be InnerSphere Level 2, also known as Star League lostech, circa 3053. Remember some Level 1 standards which Bradshaw and myself think still have value like Large Lasers and PPCs which feature the same damage factor as their higher tech brethren with less range and perhaps most significantly less heat. I've also become a fan of massed LRM-5s over the larger batteries (Free Worlds League in particular has gone in this direction) which could provide closer equivalents to Clan LRMs. Here is a list for your design reference. Let me know if there is anything I missed!

Star League LosTech
Anti-Missile System
Arrow IV Artillery Missile System
Extended Range Large Laser (ER Large Laser)
Extended Range Particle Projection Cannon (ER PPC)
Gauss Rifle
Ultra Autocannon/5
LB 10-X Autocannon
One-Shot Missile Packs
Pulse Lasers (Small, Medium, & Large)
Streak SRM-2
Swarm LRMs
Thunder LRMs
Artemis IV FCS
Beagle Active Probe
Guardian ECM Suite
Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry (MASC)
Narc Missile Beacon
TAG
Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment (CASE)
Double Heat Sinks
Endo Steel Internal Structure
Ferro-Fibrous Armor
Extra Light (XL) Engine

InnerSphere Low Tech
Blazer Cannon (or Binary Laser)
Recon Camera
Remote Sensor Dispenser

New Innovations
Triple Strength Myomer
Hatchet
C3 Computer

Every Successor State deploys the UrbanMech in some fashion but House Liao makes the most use of this design by far. Partially due to losses and sheer desperation the CCAF became the only military to deploy them in frontline units like the Confederation Reserve Cavalry and Capellan Defense Force. However, it should also be known that the ComGuards also deployed UrbanMechs on Tukayyid against the Invading Clans. Marik might be the next largest user thanks to its brief ownership of the UrbanMech factory on Marcus. The Capellan March Militia of House Davion is also a noted user of the UrbanMech thanks to Liao salvage. All the Great Houses use this Mech for garrison duty and some were even stripped for parts during the Third Succession War. I could see mercenaries using this design too but the vast underpopulated Periphery is unlikely to field many of these specialized Mechs.

Please do your research (think Objective Raids) for available components as this will be another factor in rapid production. I love fluff and your winning designs will be featured in my BattleTech Salient Horizon alternate setting. I'd like to go beyond the refits bought to you by Technical Readout 3050 and delve into extensive redesigns of your BattleTech favorites. Sharpen up your favorite war machines perhaps drawing on past or current variants while remembering the spirit or role of these Mechs. Don't forget to justify the expense of your project and multiple winners are possible. Figure that all entries have to be completed and posted on these forums by Friday November 22, 2019 by 11:59 PM which should give you all a full two weeks for this contest, good luck!!

Abele · « **Reply #1 on:** November 11, 2019, 01:36:32 AM »

Totally forgot about the UrbanMech as I started working the Valkyrie first. Back to the drawing board. You will hate what I do to the Urbie.

lrose · « **Reply #2 on:** November 11, 2019, 04:47:06 AM »

Generally disdained and unliked by mechwarriors, the Urbanmech has formed the backbone of many urban defense forces across the Inner Sphere. It was for this reason that the FWL decided to introduce an upgrade package for it's Urbanmechs. Rather then introduce a simple modification like the Capellan's UM-R63, the FWL chose to introduce a more extensive refit. The FWLM contracted with Nimakachi Fusion Products to perform a factory refit of the Urbanmech, much like the way Kong Interstellar is refitting the Ostsol at their Connaught plant.

The Nimakachi engineers began by stripping the mech to a bare chassis. While they were not able to upgrade the engine or improve the mechs mobility, they were able to make numerous changes to the Urbanmech's weapons array, cooling system and armor. In an effort to simply logistics, and take advantage of the commonality in parts between the Spider and Vulcan, which are also produced at Nimakachi, the design team used many of the same weapons used by those two designs. The old Imperator B Autocannon was replaced with a Tronel PPL-20 Large Pulse Laser. While the pulse laser has a shorter range then the Autocannon, this is not much of a disadvantage in an urban setting. The improved accuracy of the pulse laser and lack of ammo dependance are seen as great advantages for the Urbanmech.

The secondary weapons have also been greatly improved. The Harmon Light Laser has been removed and replaced with a Flame Tech Flamer. The Flamer, also found on the Vulcan, provides the Urbanmech with an incendiary/anti-infantry capability. Two Tronel XII Medium Pulse Lasers, also used on the Spider and Vulcan, have been mounted in each side torso. These can be used in support of the main gun or against secondary targets. In order to protect the Ubranmech from infantry units which are commonly found in the urban settings, the design mounts a pair of LFT Linblad Machine Guns, also used by the Vulcan, in the right torso. One is positioned to fire forward, while the other covers the rear of the Urbanmech protecting against infantry trying to hit the mech from behind. Lastly a Magna MkII Medium Laser is mounted in the left rear torso. This helps protect the mech against tanks or other mechs which might get behind it, a common occurrence in urban combat. The Magna MkIIs came from a stockpile that was left over when the upgraded Spider and Vulcan models switched to the Tronel XII Medium Pulse Laser.

With all of the new weapons on the Urban mech, the design team was forced to upgrade the cooling system. Fortunately this proved easier then expected- having stripped the mech down to it's chassis, the designers were able to replace the standard heatsinks with new double strength models. During trials this has proven sufficient to keep the mech cool except under the most extreme conditions.

Lastly the design team took advantage of the availability of the Kallon FWL Special Ferro-Fibrous armor, which is used by the Spider to increase the armor protection of the Urbanmech. While only a marginal increase in protection, the design team felt it was worth the added cost.

The UM-R70 has been greeted with great enthusiasm by the Mechwarriors assigned to them. While still not considered a great design, the new model is considered a significant improvement over the old UM-R60.

UM-R70
Mass: 30 tons
Chassis: Republic-R
Power Plant: Leenex 60
Cruising Speed 21.6 kph
Maximum Speed: 32.4 kph
Jump Jets: Pitban 6000
Jump Distance: 60 M
Armor: Kallon FWL Special Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
   1 Tronel PPL-20 Large Pulse Laser
   2 Tronel XII Medium Pulse Lasers
   2 LFT Linblad Machine Guns
   1 Magna MkII Medium Laser
   1 Flame Tech Flamer
Manufacturer: Nimakachi Fusion Products Ltd (Tematagi)
Communications System: Dalban Interact
Targeting & Tracking System: Dalban Urban

Tonnage 30 tons
Internal Structure          3
Engine: 60            1.5
Walking MPs: 2
Running MPs: 3
Jumping MPs: 2
Heatsinks 10 (20)
Gyro           1
Cockpit          3
Armor 105         6
    IS Armor
Head 3 9
CT 10 12/8
RT/LT 7 9/5
RA/LA 5 10
RL/LL 7 14

Weapons & Ammo
Large Pulse Laser   RA      2   7
Medium Pulse Laser   RT      1   2
MG            RT      1   0.5
MG            RT(R)    1   0.5
Ammo (100)      RT      1   0.5
Medium Pulse Laser   LT      1   2
Medium Laser      LT(R)   1   1
Flamer         LA      1   1
Jump Jets         CT      2   1

lrose · « **Reply #3 on:** November 11, 2019, 04:48:49 AM »

The Urbanmech UM-RD was designed for the Draconis March Militia units of the AFFC. During the early years of the Clan Invasion, First Prince Hanse Davion redeployed many units from the Draconis March to the Tamar March in an effort to slow down the Clan forces. This led to protests from Duke Sandoval, ruler of the Draconis March, that the First Prince was leaving his territory vulnerable and open to attack from the Draconis Combine. In an effort to placate the Duke, Prince Davion offered to help fund a program to expand Robinson Standard Battleworks to build a new mech especially for the March Militias. While that program was ramping up, Hanse Davion supplied Duke Sandoval with a large number of Urbanmechs from AFFC reserves as a stopgap measure for the depleted March Militias.

Upon receiving the Urbanmechs, Duke Sandoval is rumored to have said, "What the hell am I supposed to do with a bunch of walking trashcans?" After some discussion with his senior advisors, a plan was developed to have Robinson Standard Battleworks rebuild the Urbanmechs, turning them into a more effective design. Not only would this make the Urbanmech an asset, rather then a liability, on the battlefield, it would provide Robinson Standard Battleworks with experience rebuilding/modifying mechs, which would prove beneficial as the company expanded into the production of new Battlemechs for the March Militias.

Declaring the mechs unsuitable for front line combat, the Urbanmech was rebuilt into a fire support unit. The original plan called for removing all of the weapons and the jump jets for a Thumper artillery piece mounted in the Urbanmech's right side. A prototype was developed but it was found that the massive recoil of the Thumper on such a small unit caused it to fall over backwards after firing. After they stopped laughing, the design team reviewed other options, eventually they decided to try mounting an Arrow IV Missile System instead of the Thumper. Robinson Standard Battleworks acquired one of Valiant System's newly developed Valiant Catapult Arrow IV Missile system and mounted it on the prototype. Testing then resumed at the Robinson Proving Grounds. The Arrow IV was a great success and the new Urbanmech was ordered into production by an enthusiastic Duke Sandoval. Having been turned into a long range fire support unit, the Urbanmech's slow speed was not much of an issue, since the Mechs were deployed in rear areas, far away from enemy forces.

Carrying 2 tons of Arrow IV ammunition the Urbanmech can keep up a high rate of fire. Even so the designers developed an innovative ammunition storage system, similar to that used by the Enforcer. Similar to the 10 round clip used by the Enforcer's Autocannon, the UM-RD stores it's ammunition in 2 1 ton/5 shot clips. These clips are designed to be rapidly removed and replaced, reducing loading times by almost 50%. Another innovative feature is the ability to reload each clip independently, in combat the mechwarrior can be firing from 1 ammo bay, while the other is being reloaded. Well trained crews are able to allow the Urbanmech to fire it's Arrow IV launcher almost non stop, as long as ammo clips are available.

Due to the large size of the Arrow IV System, the engineers at Robinson Standard Battleworks were forced to remove a ton and a half of armor from the UM-RD. Considering that the Urbanmech is not expected to be exposed to direct fire, there was little concern about this modification from the design team, although some Mechwarriors were skeptical about the change. In order to assuage these concerns, the design team replaced the Durallex-Medium armor with the new StarGuard Ferro-Fibrous armor, providing slightly improve armor protection compared to standard plate armor.

The only other change made to the design was to replace the older communication and targeting systems with the newer Wunderland XXI-3 Series. Not only did this ease maintenance, the Wunderland XXI-3 was more compatible with the Arrow IV Launcher. The Dalban Urban, while an effective system, is better suited for close combat, not long range missile fire.

UM-RD
Mass: 30 tons
Chassis: Republic-R
Power Plant: Leenex 60
Cruising Speed 21.6 kph
Maximum Speed: 32.4 kph
Jump Jets: None
Jump Distance: 0
Armor: StarGuard Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
   Valiant Catapult Arrow IV Launcher
Manufacturer: Robinson Standard Battleworks (Robinson)
Communications System: Wunderland XXI-3 Series
Targeting & Tracking System: Wunderland XXI-3 Series

Tonnage 30 tons
Internal Structure          3
Engine: 60            1.5
Walking MPs: 2
Running MPs: 3
Jumping MPs: 0
Heatsinks 10
Gyro           1
Cockpit          3
Armor 80         4.5
    IS Armor
Head 3 9
CT 10 11/4
RT/LT 7 8/2
RA/LA 5 8
RL/LL 7 10

Weapons & Ammo
Arrow IV System   RA & RT   15   15
Ammo (Arrow) 10   RT      2   2

Takiro · « **Reply #4 on:** November 11, 2019, 05:33:02 AM »

No worries Abele, you got two weeks to come up with some Urbie love.

Two good designs Irose to kick us off. I will say that your second violates the criteria of this challenge. I did call for jump Jets as a must on the UrbanMech. Your concept is so good here I am really considering a sans jumping Urbie. Hmm...

lrose · « **Reply #5 on:** November 11, 2019, 05:53:41 AM »

Rules exist to be broken. If it really is a show stopper I could put the jump jets back and remove a ton of armor, but since the UM-RD is not intended for urban combat their is little reason for the jump jets.

lrose · « **Reply #6 on:** November 11, 2019, 08:24:50 AM »

Okay 1 more.

The UM-R65T is a new refit of the Urbanmech that has been seen operating in the Taurian Concordat. During the Star League years (or the Occupation Period as the Taurian's refer to it) the League had strict controls over the TDF and the equipment it was allowed to purchase. The production of Battlemechs in the Concordat was almost non-existent (except for a few manufacturers that continued to produce new designs from hidden factories) and the TDF was forced to rely on Inner Sphere manufacturers for its weapon needs. In an effort to keep the TDF from becoming too strong and a potential threat, the SLDF limited the mechs which the Concordat could import. As such the TDF was forced in many cases to take the designs that it was offered, which were not necessarily the ones it wanted. The Urbanmech was one such mech. With large numbers of industrial and urban areas, the TDF sought a mech that could be used to defend them from raiders and pirates. Unable to purchase Wyverns or Hunchbacks, the TDF was forced to acquire a large stock of Urbanmechs from Orguss Industries. Never particularly popular with the TDF, the mechs largely did not participate in the Uprisings. A few Urbanmech units did fight the SLDF but the bulk of the units instead stayed out of the fighting and tried to protect the local populations. As a result many of these mechs survived the Uprisings and continued to serve with the TDF.
During the Succession Wars the Urbanmechs were retired from active service as new, more effective designs entered service from the rebuilt Taurian Battlemech manufacturers. The Urbanmechs were carefully mothballed and stored against future need on depots across the Hyades Cluster.

Following the Clan Invasion, Thomas Calderon feared that the Clans were simply trick by the Federated Commonwealth to lull the Concordat into thinking they were not a threat. The Protector's reasoning was that then the FC would launch an attack against the Concordat. In an effort to bolster the defenses of the Concordat, Thomas Calderon ordered that every weapon available be pressed into service. This included the large number of Urbanmechs from the storage depots. However it was found that when the mechs were taken out of mothballs, the Imperator B Autocannons had been improperly treated and most had degraded and become unusable. Unable to replace the Autocannon due to a shortage of Pontiac 50 Autocannons, (all of the Concordat's production capacity from the Pontiac 50 was barely able to keep with the demand needed for the Gladius Hovertank and the Hatchetman), the designers looked to see what other options existed. They soon settled on replacing the Imperator with 4 Shannon Six Shooter SRM launchers. The Shannon Six Shooters were readily available following the introduction of the COM-3T which removed the SRMs from the design. The Urbanmech carries 2 tons of ammo for the launchers, allowing it to keep up a high rate of fire for a short period of time. Typically the Urbanmech carries 1 ton of standard armor piercing ammo and 1 ton of Inferno rounds for use against Infantry, armor and other light targets. Due to the high heat build up of the massed SRM Launchers, the design team did incorporate newly developed double heat sinks into the refit. This provides more then enough cooling for the mech. One heatsink was removed from the design as it was determined to be redundant.

UM-R65T
Mass: 30 tons
Chassis: Republic-R
Power Plant: Leenex 60
Cruising Speed 21.6 kph
Maximum Speed: 32.4 kph
Jump Jets: Pitban 6000
Jump Distance: 60 M
Armor: Durallex Medium
Armament:
   4 Shannon Six Shooter SRM Launchers
   1 Harmon Light Laser
Manufacturer: Pinard Protectorates Limited (Perdition) (Refit)
Communications System: Dalban Interact
Targeting & Tracking System: Dalban Urban

Tonnage 30 tons
Internal Structure          3
Engine: 60            1.5
Walking MPs: 2
Running MPs: 3
Jumping MPs: 2
Heatsinks 10 (20)
Gyro           1
Cockpit          3
Armor 96        6
    IS Armor
Head 3 9
CT 10 11/8
RT/LT 7 8/4
RA/LA 5 10
RL/LL 7 12

Weapons & Ammo
2 SRM 6      RT   4   6
Ammo (15)   RT   1   1
2 SRM 6      LT    4   6
Ammo (15)   LT   1   1
Small Laser    LA   1   0.5
Jump Jets      CT   2   1

Takiro · « **Reply #7 on:** November 11, 2019, 10:19:41 AM »

Irose you are just not listening, and its awesome! Keep up the good work!!

Takiro · « **Reply #8 on:** November 11, 2019, 12:25:36 PM »

First of two concepts from me with another and fluff to follow!

UM-C58 URBANMECH

Mass: 30 tons
Chassis: Republic-R
Power Plant: Omni 150
Cruising Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86 kph
Jump Jets: Pitban 6000
Jump Capacity: 150 meters
Armor: StarSlab/1 Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
   1 Blankenburg Large Pulse Laser
   1 Martell Medium Laser
Manufacturer: Leopard Armor
   Primary Factory: Terra
Communications System: Dalban Interact
Targeting and Tracking System: Dalban Urban

OVERVIEW
   The Clan Invasion devastated the armies of the InnerSphere including the heroic ComGuards whose legendary stand on Tukayyid cost them dearly. Precentor Martial Focht commissioned several new initiatives all aimed at quickly rebuilding his armies after that great battle. Reviewing existing Mech designs for possible improvement was one such endeavor that struck upon an unlikely candidate, the UrbanMech. Maligned as a high-end security Mech most designers who thought it completely unable to stand up to most InnerSphere opponents never mind the Clans. However, this discounted the plentiful number of possible machines which while underpowered and extremely slow could be mobilized rapidly if the right refit package could be found. The garbage can look of the Urbie as it was affectionately known was shared in part by the Flashman which inspired ComStar technicians on Earth to create an energy weapon carrier that moved much faster than its predecessor.

CAPABILITIES
   Like most of UrbanMech variants the UM-C58 uses many of its forebearers components. This includes the trademark Republic-R internal structure, ever reliable Dalban electronics, and Pitban 6000 jump jets. Gone is the underpowered Leenex 60 Fusion Engine which was replaced by an Omni 150 previously utilized by the Commando and Valkyrie. This resulted in a dramatic power increase which allowed the UrbanMech to reach speeds two and half times greater than its predecessor. While only the average speed of most Medium BattleMechs this massive increase in performance has led to widespread acclaim with only a few drawbacks. Increased stress on structural components and myomer strain have caused higher maintenance costs. The Blankenburg Large Pulse Laser came close to matching the damage of the old Imperator-B AC/10 but lacked the reach. Even though it had only two-thirds the range of the Autocannon the superior accuracy generated by the Pulse technology was generally approved of as an overall benefit. Joined by the Martell Medium Laser in the opposite arm which nearly matched the Large Pulse range further augmented this Urbie's firepower at mid-range. These energy weapons produced a lot of heat which required Double Heat Sinks in order to cool it effectively. Thankfully their inclusion was aided by the larger power plant which also enabled greater jumping distances. Now able to jump one hundred fifty this new found mobility was another great benefit of this design. The inclusion of a two-ton gyroscope was required to balance the modernized BattleMech which would now cost two million four hundred ten thousand C-bills to produce. Six tons of StarSlab/1 Ferro-Fibrous replaced the Durallex Medium armor plating to provide the maximum amount of protection.

DEPLOYMENT
   While often derided the UrbanMech has always been carried some grudging respect and affection among Mechwarriors of the InnerSphere who quickly dubbed the new UM-C58 the UrbanMax or the FlashLight. Outfitted with an enhanced movement profile and an inexhaustible energy arsenal it has gained new found respect. Leopard Armor became the primary producer of the new UM-C58 thanks to some prototype work begun on the UrbanMech on Terra but many other firms including Skobel and Blankenburg which manufacture weaponry have also taken up limited production. This refit package and its specs have also been sold to the Federated Commonweath which has been able to use either the Omni 150 Fusion Engine to quickly enhance its fleet of Urbies mainly based in the Sarna March. Rumor has it that a lower tech version is also being tested at the Lushann facility in the Outworlds Alliance.

Type: UrbanMech
Technology Base: Inner Sphere - Level 2
Tonnage: 30

Equipment                        Mass
Internal Structure:                  3
Engine:            150            5.5
Walking MP:         5
Running MP:         8
Jumping MP:         5
Heat Sinks:         10 (20)         0
Gyro:                        2
Cockpit:                         3
Armor Factor:         105            6

            Internal Structure   Armor Value
Head               3         9
Center Torso         10         15 / 5
R/L Torso            7         10 / 4
R/L Arm            5         10
R/L Leg            7         14

Weapons and Ammo      Location      Critical   Tonnage
Large Pulse Laser      Right Arm      2      7
Medium Laser         Left Arm      1      1
Jump Jet            Center Torso   1      .5
2 Jump Jets         Right Leg      2      1
2 Jump Jets         Left Leg      2      1

Cost = 2,410,200 C-bills

Takiro · « **Reply #9 on:** November 11, 2019, 12:27:14 PM »

The second one from the Free Worlds League Civil War!

UM-B64 URBANMECH

Mass: 30 tons
Chassis: Republic-R
Power Plant: Magna 120
Cruising Speed: 43 kph
Maximum Speed: 64 kph
Jump Jets: Pitban 6000
Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor: Kallon FWL Special Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
   1 Magna Binary Laser Cannon
   1 Martell Medium Laser
Manufacturer: Free Worlds Defense Industries
   Primary Factory: Kanata
Communications System: Dalban Interact
Targeting and Tracking System: Dalban Urban

OVERVIEW
   The Free Worlds League should have had the greatest number of UrbanMechs in its military with the original factory on Marcus under their control for fifty-two years following the fall of the Hegemony. That combined with ample amounts of Liao salvage garnered during the Succession Wars could have given this forlorn war machine a far different fate then we all know today. Just after the turn of the twenty ninth century a Blazer armed UrbanMech was an intriguing concept to the FWLM which was looking to replace its devastating losses during the 1st Succession War. Research on the Binary Laser Cannon actually began in the Lyran Commonwealth in 2801 but was apparently stolen at some point by the Free Worlds League.
   How much of this was a successful case of industrial espionage by SAFE is an open question given claims of abandonment by some Steiner scientists. While a potent proposal whose relative compact design held promise it produced a massive heat bloom that only Double Heat Sinks could effectively disperse. Apparently, this was enough for Lyran military designers who favored larger â€˜Mech designs which could deploy cool running heavier ballistic weaponry to discontinue further study. House Marik which preferred lighter weight faster moving â€˜Mechs pressed forward and in 2812 successfully managed to take the Blazer to prototype phase. Designs like the UrbanMech could have benefited from full scale production but war, the availability of Double Heat Sinks, and development costs all seemed to conspire against such progress. This doesnâ€™t even account for the Mechâ€™s poor performance, bad reputation, and Capellan legacy.
   Research was continually interrupted and shelved until finally the extinction of Double Heat Sinks in 2865 delivered a fatal blow to the Binary Laser Cannon. Marik merchants moved quickly afterwards to capitalize scrapping many UrbanMechs for parts or selling them to other powers which often included rivals. They crafted several highly successful ad campaigns lauding the virtues of this often misunderstood and always cost-effective lightweight defender. These ventures proved not only to be extremely profitable but also resulted in the UrbanMech becoming an iconic, almost lovable, design. The LosTech Renaissance which witnessed the recovery of Double Heat Sinks together with the Marik Civil War have breathed new life into this old concept and what may have been could now become a reality.

CAPABILITIES
   The beauty of the UM-B64 is that many of its core components remain completely unchanged allowing numerous UrbanMechs to go from laughing stock to effective combat machines. The iconic Republic-R chassis and venerable Dalban electronic systems remain wholly unaltered in this upgrade package. The Imperator-B Autocannon was replaced by the newly manufactured Magna Binary Laser Cannon. This Blazer not only matched the range of the old ballistic weapon but dealt more damage capable of beheading any 'Mech while weighing three tons less. The drawback its operation produced more than five times the weapon heat. Double Heat Sinks were therefore a must and thankfully enough of these Lostech advancements were available for this upgrade. Replacing the small Leenex 60 Fusion Engine with the Magna 120 Fusion Engine from the Wasp helped incorporate the bulky coolers. Other components from the Wasp and Stinger most notably their two ton gyroscope in addition to their power plants were vital in performing this refit which doubled the UrbanMech's movement profile. While still slow for a Light BattleMech and more akin to a Heavy it still constitutes a radical upgrade which allowed designers to double the Urbie's Pitban 6000 jump jets. Additionally, enough space also remained to replace the Harmon Light Laser with the Martell Medium Laser. Finally, the six tons of Durallex Medium armor plating was stripped off in favor of Kallon FWL Special Ferro-Fibrous. This widely produced high tech armor improved the UrbanMech's protection factor to the max.

DEPLOYMENT
The UM-B64 was developed by Free Worlds Defense Industries for Andurien defenders during the Marik Civil War. Isis forces were surprised by this much more potent UrbanMech which has helped slowed their advance. Needing capable war machines to advance their own 'Provincial' aspirations other factions began conducting their own Blazer refit of the UrbanMech spreading it quickly throughout the League. There are some regional exceptions to this proliferation most notably the Marik Commonwealth which has dubbed it a 'foreign' design. This epitaph has been expanded to include many designs often used by factions opposing the ruling Mariks.

Type: UrbanMech
Technology Base: Inner Sphere - Level 2
Tonnage: 30

Equipment                        Mass
Internal Structure:                  3
Engine:            120            4
   Walking MP:      4
   Running MP:      6
   Jumping MP:      4
Heat Sinks:         10 (20)         0
Gyro:                        2
Cockpit:                         3
Armor Factor:         105            6

            Internal Structure   Armor Value
   Head            3         9
   Center Torso      10         15 / 5
   R/L Torso         7         10 / 4
   R/L Arm         5         10
   R/L Leg         7         14

Weapons and Ammo      Location      Critical   Tonnage
Blazer            Right Arm      2      7
Medium Laser         Left Arm      1      1
2 Jump Jets         Right Leg      2      1
2 Jump Jets         Left Leg      2      1

Cost = 2,294,500 C-bills

lrose · « **Reply #10 on:** November 11, 2019, 01:15:02 PM »

And one more....

The UM-KH was developed following the Battle of Twycross in September of 3050. During the battle, the Kell Hounds suffered heavy losses while pushing the Clans off of the planet. The 113th Company -Urban Warfare Unit of the Kell Hound's first battalion suffered some of the heaviest losses of any Kell Hound company. Mechwarrior Jonathan Burns, a member of the Urban Scout Lance, survived the battle, but the same could not be said of his Urbanmech, which he had inherited from his mother Lt Estyn Burns. During the battle the Urbanmech had suffered significant damage to its engine and had the gyro completely destroyed by a lucky shot that had penetrated the mech's armor. Upon returning to Ark Royal, the Kell Hound technical staff began to conduct repairs on the regiment's mechs. After examining the remains of the Urbanmech, it was decided to rebuild the damaged mech. The Leenex 60 engine was considered a total loss and the other other Urbanmech in the Kell Hounds had also suffered catastrophic damage to its engine. Upon look at the available parts for repairs, the tech team found a Wasp that was badly damaged but had a salvageable engine and gyro. A plan was soon hatched to marry the chassis of Burns' Urbanmech with the engine and gyro of the Wasp to create a functional mech.

Using the facilities of the Ark Royal Mechworks, the techs were able to mate the Urbanmech and the GM 120 Fusion Engine from the Wasp. This doubled the speed of the Urbanmech, however due to the larger size and mass of the engine the techs were forced to make a number of other changes to the Urbanmech. The Imperator B Autocannon was removed and replaced with a Cyclops XII Extended Range Large Laser that came from a large stockpile of advanced tech parts provided to the Kell Hounds by a grateful AFFC. The Harmon Light Laser was replaced by a Defiance B3M Medium Laser. A second medium laser was mounted in the right torso, filling the space of the Imperator B's ammo bin. The mobility of the Urbanmech was improved by mounting 2 more Pitban 6000 jump jets scavenged from the other wrecked Urbanmech. The cooling system was improved by replacing the standard heatsinks with double heatsinks, allowing the mech to stay cool with its new weapons array.

The other major change to the mech was upgrades to the communication and targeting systems. Serving as a member of the Urban Scout Lance, it was felt that the new Guardian ECM and Beagle Scout Probes would prove useful in hiding the mech from the enemy and locating hidden units.

The new Urbanmech has returned to service with the Kell Hounds and so far has proven very successful in the urban scout role. The AFFC has been watching the performance of the rebuilt mech and is believed to be considering upgrading other Urbanmechs to this configuration.

UM-KH
Mass: 30 tons
Chassis: Republic-R
Power Plant: GM 120
Cruising Speed 44.6 kph
Maximum Speed: 63.5 kph
Jump Jets: Pitban 6000
Jump Distance: 120 M
Armor: Durallex Medium
Armament:
   Cyclops XII Extended Range Large Laser
   2 Defiance B3M Lasers
Manufacturer: Ark Royal Mechworks (Refit)
Communications System: Cyclops 20 with Guardian ECM
Targeting & Tracking System: Cyclops - Beagle Sensory Probe

Tonnage 30 tons
Internal Structure          3
Engine: 120            4
Walking MPs: 4
Running MPs: 6
Jumping MPs: 4
Heatsinks 10 (20)
Gyro           2
Cockpit          3
Armor 96      6
    IS Armor
Head 3 9
CT 10 11/8
RT/LT 7 8/4
RA/LA 5 10
RL/LL 7 12

Weapons & Ammo
ER Large Laser      RA   2   5
Medium Laser      LA   1   1
Medium Laser       RT   1   1
Guardian ECM      RT   2   1.5
Beagle Active Probe   RT   2   1.5
Jump Jet         RT   1   0.5
Jump Jets         CT   2   1
Jump Jet         LT   1   0.5

masterarminas · « **Reply #11 on:** November 11, 2019, 04:11:31 PM »

Although a low priority for being upgraded, the venerable UrbanMech plays an important role within the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces. Especially in the wake of the 4th Succession War, UrbanMechs have been reassigned to front-line BattleMech units, rather than their traditional assignment as defensive/garrison units.

As new technologies (and older, recovered technologies) have become more readily available throughout the Confederation, however, the UrbanMech was among those 'Mechs selected to be upgraded. While the UM-R63 model is being touted as the new standard CCAF UrbanMech, a second prototype was also being constructed.

This model, designated as the UM-R64 UrbanMech required a greater investment of resources and recovered technology and could not be fielded as quickly as the UM-R63 for trials and testing. However, the performance of this new model UrbanMech showed that it outclassed the UM-R64 in virtually every aspect.

The design team at Hellespont removed the original weapons suite from the UM-R60 UrbanMech, along with the Durallex Medium armor plating. While the eleven heat sinks of the original design were retained, they were upgraded to double-strength freezers, giving the new UM-R64 excellent heat dissipation qualities. The Leenax 60 Fusion engine was removed and replaced with a slightly larger DAV 90 Fusion Engine, which gave the new UrbanMech a slight speed boost. In addition, a third Pitban 6000 jump jet was fitted to the chassis, giving this model greater tactical mobility as well.

Five-and-a-half tons of Durallex Medium Ferro-Fibrous armor plating was then applied to the chassis providing for 93.33% of maximum possible armor coverage on a 30-ton bipedal 'Mech design.

The armament package, however, was completely rethought. Using a recovered weapon technology many thought long obsolete, the design team incorporated a Ceres Arms MechBlazer Binary Laser Cannon as the primary weapon system in the right arm. Able to match the older Class-10 Imperator Autocannon in range, the MechBlazer gave the new design higher damage potential (indeed, it is capable of destroying the head of any known BattleMech with just a single shot!) and removed dependence on ammunition and resupply.

Supporting the MechBlazer are a pair of Pulse Lasers: a Hessen X Small Pulse in the left arm provides for anti-personnel support capabilities, while a Ceres Arms W Medium Pulse in the center torso augments the MechBlazer at close range with highly accurate firepower.

The design team retained the Republic-R chassis, as well as the original Dalban electronics systems to save time, money, and resources. The cockpit layout of the UM-R64 is virtually identical to that of the UM-R60 and UM-R63, reducing the time required to train MechWarriors on the new model of UrbanMech.

The first group of UM-R64 prototypes was presented to the Chancellor and the CCAF in March of 3051, with limited production being authorized just five months later following extensive field testing and combat trials. By February of 3053, in response to the overwhelming acceptance and praise of this new 'Mech, the Betelgeuse factory of Hellespont was producing nearly two dozen UM-R64 UrbanMechs each month.

Code: [Select]

UrbanMech UM-R64

Mass: 30 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-A
Production Year: 3053
Dry Cost: 1,813,500 C-Bills
Total Cost: 1,813,500 C-Bills
Battle Value: 791

Chassis: Republic-R Standard
Power Plant: DAV 90 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 32.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets: Pitban 6000
    Jump Capacity: 90 meters
Armor: Durallex Medium Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    1  Ceres Arms MechBlazer Binary Laser Cannon
    1 Ceres Arms W Medium Pulse Laser
    1 Hessen X Small Pulse Laser
Manufacturer: Hellespont Industrials
    Primary Factory: Betelgeuse
Communications System: Dalban Interact
Targeting and Tracking System: Dalban Urban

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      51 points                3.00
Engine:             Fusion Engine                 90                       3.00
    Walking MP: 3
    Running MP: 5
    Jumping MP: 3 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 1 LL, 1 RL                                   1.50
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             11(22)                    1.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 4 LT, 4 RT
Gyro:               Standard                                               1.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA    R: SH+UA
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV -  98                  5.50
    Armor Locations: 6 LA, 6 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL

                                                      Internal       Armor      
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     10           14        
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  5         
                                           L/R Torso     7            10        
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  3         
                                             L/R Arm     5            10        
                                             L/R Leg     7            12        

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Binary Laser Cannon                          RA        16        4         9.00
Small Pulse Laser                            LA        2         1         1.00
Medium Pulse Laser                           CT        4         1         2.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 4

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      3    Points: 8
3j         3       2       0       0      1     0   Structure:  3
Special Abilities: ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA

Takiro · « **Reply #12 on:** November 11, 2019, 04:13:23 PM »

Another Irose and welcome masterarminas to the contest. As with my Blazer variant I think that hard hitting headcapper makes alot of sense here.

Abele · « **Reply #13 on:** November 12, 2019, 07:40:50 AM »

Imay have to bow out of this particular contest. My comp at home has died and don't have the funds to repair/replace it at this time. I'll dip back in when everything is sorted. Also, it appears that others were on the same track as myself as they have upped the speed to 4/6/4 which is what I would have done.

lrose · « **Reply #14 on:** November 12, 2019, 07:57:23 AM »

The UM-R83 is something of a mystery. Spotted in the Draconis Combine, the mech has been only seen on 2 occasions. In both cases it was being used to help put down rebels fighting against the Combine government. The mechs were painted completely black with no markings, the speculation is that these were either deployed with the DEST or the ISF.

Much of this entry is based on data recorded by a Comstar station on Galtor III where a lance of these mechs was deployed against insurgents on the planet. Based on the video recordings, as well as the electronic emissions that were picked up, it appears the Urbanmech's armament has been radically modified to allow it to serve in the counter-insurgency role. The Imperator B Autocannon has been removed and replaced with a pair of Medium Pulse Lasers. The Harmon Light Laser was also removed and replaced with a Flamer. During the recorded operation the Flamer proved very effective at destroying enemy fortifications. The UM-R83 also carries a pair of SRM-2 launchers. These were loaded with Inferno rounds and supplemented the flamer in the incendiary role. Lastly the Urbanmech carries 4 Machine Guns for the anti-personnel role.

The electronic emissions of the UM-R83 were very interesting. Upon examining the data collected it appears that the Combine has incorporated a number of advanced electronics into the design. The targeting and tracking system has apparently be replaced with a Cat's Eye 5 system. Unlike the standard Cat's Eye 5 carried by the Panther, this one has been upgraded with a Beagle Active Probe. This improves the Urbanmech's ability to locate hidden units. If this was, as we speculate, designed specifically to deal with insurgents, the Beagle Probe would be be very useful. The electronic emissions also indicated that the UM-R83 was equipped with a C3 Slave unit. This seems to be a curious choice for a counter-insurgency mech but at the same time implies that these mechs are intended to be operated in larger formations.

Given the limited number of times these mechs have been seen we have no idea how many have been built or if they are new production or a field refit. Efforts to determine the origins of this mech have so far proven unsuccessful.

UM-R83
Mass: 30 tons
Chassis: Republic-R
Power Plant: Leenex 60
Cruising Speed 21.6 kph
Maximum Speed: 32.4 kph
Jump Jets: Pitban 6000
Jump Distance: 60 M
Armor: Durallex Medium
Armament:
   2 Diverse Optics Type 20P
   1 Zippo Flamer
   4 Bulldog Machine Guns
   2 Guided Technologies SRM 2
Manufacturer: Unknown (Field Refit?)
Communications System: Dalban Interact
Targeting & Tracking System: Cat's Eye 5 with Forward-1

Tonnage 30 tons
Internal Structure          3
Engine: 60            1.5
Walking MPs: 2
Running MPs: 3
Jumping MPs: 2
Heatsinks 11          1
Gyro           1
Cockpit          3
Armor 96         6
    IS Armor
Head 3 9
CT 10 11/8
RT/LT 7 8/4
RA/LA 5 10
RL/LL 7 12

Weapons & Ammo
2 Medium Pulse Lasers RA      2   4
SRM 2         RT      1   1
2 MGs         RT      2   1
SRM 2         LT      1   1
2 MGs         LT      2   1
Ammo MG (200)   LT      1   1
Ammo SRM (50)   LT      1   1
Beagle Active Probe   RT      2   1.5
Flamer         LA      1   1
C3 Slave         H      1   1
Jump Jets         CT      2   1

OBT Forum

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Author Topic: Optimizing the UrbanMech (Read 9331 times)

Takiro

Optimizing the UrbanMech

Abele

Re: Optimizing the UrbanMech

lrose

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lrose

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Takiro

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lrose

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lrose

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Takiro

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Takiro

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Takiro

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lrose

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masterarminas

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Takiro

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Abele

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lrose

Re: Optimizing the UrbanMech