OBT Forum

As stated in the Hermes II thread, I will be giving this one a hard pass. Based on its original state, this is the third 6/9/X mech in a row in the 40-ton class and I am worn out. I will see you guys in two weeks when Whitworth is up for optimising.

The original Vulcan was designed as an anti-infantry unit that was commonly deployed in urban areas.  The mechs weapons were largely optimized for that role, although the long range Armstrong Autocannon was better suited for open field operations.  With the rediscovery of advanced technology the design team at Coventry Metal Works developed a new model of the Vulcan.  The design team began developing the new model without consulting any Vulcan mechwarriors.  The result was a design that emphasized the wrong aspects of the Vulcan and resulted in a substandard mech.  The new Vulcan carried an XL Fusion Engine, the large bulky engine took up most of the space in the Mech's chassis, greatly increasing the chance that a hit to the torso will damage the engine. They also replaced the old Armstrong Autocannon with an Imperator Ultra AC-5.  This does not remove the biggest problem with the Armstrong Autocannon, the minimum range which is a liability in an urban setting where close combat is the norm.  The design team also decided to use Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry to provide the mech with a burst of speed, again something of limited value in an urban setting. 

As a result of these decisions sales of the Vulcan lagged.  In an effort to increase sales, Coventry developed a new version of the Vulcan.  This time they consulted with a number of veteran Vulcan Mechwarriors to come up with specifications.  The result was the VL-6S.

The first change made was to the motive system.  Citing the vulnerability of the XL engine to damage, the mechwarriors pushed for a standard engine.  They also suggested that Coventry could use a smaller engine to free up space and weight for other improvements.   This led to the installation of the Pitban 200 engine.  The design team also used a new Endosteel chassis to further reduce the weight. 

The smaller engine freed up significant space in the Vulcan's narrow chassis.  This allowed the design team to replace the Imperator AC-5 Ultra with a Defiance Disintegrator LB-10X.  The large cannon finally gave the Vulcan the weapon it needed.  The large cannon has no minimum range making it ideal for urban operations, while the cluster munitions are high effective against vehicles and armored infantry.  To increase battlefield endurance the designers added a second ton of ammo for the cannon.  The secondary weaponry remains unchanged from that of the VL-5S. 

All of these changes also forced the removal of the MASC system.  This was not considered to be much of loss by the mechwarriors. 

The new Vulcan has been greeted with great enthusiasm from mechwarriors.   Coventry has already seen sales orders double for the new model of the Vulcan.




VL-6S
Mass: 40 tons
Chassis: MatherTech 600ES
Power Plant: Pitban 200
Cruising Speed 55.8 kph
Maximum Speed: 87.2 kph
Jump Jets: Luxor Load Lifters
 Jump Distance: 150 meters
Armor:  Lexington Limited High Grade Ferro-Fibrous with CASE
Armament:
      1 Defiance Disintegrator LB-10X
      1 Defiance B3M Medium Laser
      1 Hotshot Flamer
      1 Coventry Light Autocannon Machine Gun
Manufacturer:  Coventry Metal Works (Coventry)
Communications System: Cyclops 20
Targeting & Tracking System: Cyclops 9

Tonnage 40 tons
Internal Structure          2
Engine: 240                         8.5
   Walking MPs: 5
   Running MPs: 8
   Jumping MPs: 5
Heatsinks       10   
Gyro                              2
Cockpit                         3
Armor                   89      5
            IS      Armor
Head         3      8
CT         12        11/6
RT/LT      10     10/4
RA/LA      6      6
RL/LL      10     12

Weapons
LB-10X         RT    6   11
Ammo (20)      LT   2   2
Medium Laser      LT   1   1
Ammo (200)      LT   1   1
CASE         LT   1   0.5
Machine Gun      LA   1   0.5
Flamer         RA   1   1
Jump Jet         CT   1   0.5   
Jump Jets         RT   2   1
Jump Jets         LT   2   1

Two good ones Irose!

The first one you submit is very similar to a concept I was considering with some minor differences for a ComStar variant. Would you be alright with me submitting it??

The second slow Vulcan with a big gun feels very Lyran to me. I really didn't considering going slower but it does work. Nice job!

Two good ones Irose!

The first one you submit is very similar to a concept I was considering with some minor differences for a ComStar variant. Would you be alright with me submitting it??

Go ahead its fine with me.

 

The second slow Vulcan with a big gun feels very Lyran to me. I really didn't considering going slower but it does work. Nice job!

The VL-5S is just so...broken.  IMHO its a horrible upgrade and I wanted to see what I could do while not making it look like the Marik variant. 

Two good ones Irose!

The first one you submit is very similar to a concept I was considering with some minor differences for a ComStar variant. Would you be alright with me submitting it??

Go ahead its fine with me.

How is this??

VL-5P VULCAN

Mass: 40 tons
Chassis: Crucis-II Delux Endo Steel
Power Plant: Pitban 240
Cruising Speed: 65 kph
Maximum Speed: 97 kph
Jump Jets: Model 9 Pitban
   Jump Capacity: 180 meters
Armor: Leopard V Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
1 Blankenburg Large Pulse Laser
2 Randell Medium Lasers
1 Firestorm Flamer
1 Martell Small Pulse Laser
Manufacturer: General Mechanics
   Primary Factory: Mars
Communication System: Hartford 2005
Targeting & Tracking System: Hartford TA10

Overview:
   The Clan Invasion spurred several crash design programs aimed at countering their fantastic technological advantage. One of these was a ComStar refit of the Vulcan intended to defeat their massive Armored Infantry called Elementals. The ‘Mechs role as an anti-infantry platform was well known but neutralizing these highly mobile battle suits would present a challenge. Thankfully the Precentor Martial who likely foresaw an eventual clash with Kerensky’s descendants prioritized the upgrade at General Mechanics on Mars. Obtaining the original design specs through their vast Archives on Terra enabled some progress but other enhancements were the product of pre-Reformation ROM industrial espionage. A limited number of these war machines were ready for action at Tukayyid but since they were so few it is generally overlooked as a Clanbuster. The successful performance of the ComGuards at this titanic clash has the Order actively considering mass production at this time.

Capabilities:
   Perhaps it is no surprise that the VL-5P is so similar to the VL-5M upon which it is based because industrial espionage. The nefarious actions by ROM to steal the blueprints of that lostech upgrade would seem to implicit the entire design of simple intellectual theft. However, if the design team is to be believed the only outright use of copyrighted Nimakachi property was the new Crucis-II Delux Endo Steel chassis. By taking this internal structure shortcut engineers were able to cut months of the entire process and jump start a vital weapon in an effort to stop the Clan Invaders. The decision to replace the old Armstrong Autocannon/2 with the Terran made Blankenburg Large Pulse Laser was made to defeat Clan Elementals in tight quarters. The range was dramatically shortened but increased firepower and accuracy were desired far more than that. Other that much of the original VL-2T was simply replicated from ComStar Archives by General Mechanics which was directly ordered by the Precentor Martial to expedite the project. As such the power plant, jump jets, electronic systems, and flamer are exact copies of the defunct MatherTechno Incorporated design. Even the Randell Mediums Lasers were copied but engineers choose to double their number in order to supplement the Large Pulse Laser against Clan Armored Infantry. Finally, in a move to go all energy and eliminate the need for resupply Martell Small Pulse Laser made by Skobel replaced the Sperry Browning Machine Gun. Without the old ballistic weaponry heat spiked but that was dealt with by the addition of eleven Double Heat Sinks which did much to keep the Mech running cool. Perhaps the single biggest improvement came from the replacement of standard armor plating with five and a half tons of Leopard V Ferro-Fibrous. Used on the Kintaro this lostech boosted the BattleMechs protection rating significantly allowing it to survive longer in combat.

Deployment:
   Even with the shortcuts taken by the design team only a handful of these war machines were ready for Tukayyid. Operating as a ‘Double Vulcan’ team two of these machines had the ability to nearly obliterate an entire point of Clan Elementals with a single point-blank strike. While the Invaders neutralized most of these Elemental killers their performance was notable and could justify further production. Omitted as a Clanbuster because of its limited number and dubious introductory process the Vulcan could have a future. Hurdles remain however with all the legal problems caused by its initial rapid development and the subsequent Reformation which has revealed all the intellectual property theft which has further been complicated by the outbreak of the Third Marik Civil War. If a settlement can be reached General Mechanics could begin mass production quickly but has so far limited its operations to refits of existing machines.

Type: VL-5P Vulcan
Technology Base: Inner Sphere - Level 2
Tonnage: 40

Equipment                        Mass
Internal Structure:      Endo Steel             2
Engine:         240               11.5
Walking MP:      6
Running MP:      9
Jumping MP:      6
Heat Sinks:         11 (22)               1
Gyro:                           3
Cockpit:                        3
Armor Factor:         98               5.5

         Internal Structure   Armor Value
Head         3      9
Center Torso      12      12 / 3
R/L Torso      10      12 / 3
R/L Arm      6      10
R/L Leg      10      12

Weapons and Ammo      Location      Critical   Tonnage
Large Pulse Laser      Right Torso      2      7
2 Medium Lasers      Left Torso      2      2
Flamer            Right Arm      1      1
Small Pulse Laser      Left Arm      1      1
Jump Jets         Center Torso      2      1
Jump Jets         Right Leg      2      1
Jump Jets         Left Leg      2      1

A third Large Pulse Laser variant?!

Vulcan VL-5K

Mass: 40 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/E-F-D-A
Production Year: 3052
Cost: 3,917,060 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,096

Chassis: Mather Tech 500 Standard
Power Plant: Pitban 240 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Maximum Speed: 97.2 km/h
Jump Jets: Rawlings 75
    Jump Capacity: 180 meters
Armor: Kallon FWL Special Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    1 Diverse Optics Sunbeam ER Large Laser
    3 Randell Medium Lasers
    1 Firestorm Flamer
    2 SperryBrowing Machine Guns
Manufacturer: Nimakachi Fusion Products Ltd
    Primary Factory: Tematagi, Lapida II
Communications System: Hartford 200S
Targeting and Tracking System: Hartford TA10

Overview:
Nimakachi Fusion Products Limited, as a corporation with factories located in both the Free Worlds League and the Draconis Combine has been a conduit for technical assistance between the two states since the signing of the Kapteyn Pact. Following the Outreach Conference of 3051, Thomas Marik's assistance to the Coordinator included loans to expand the Nimakachi factory on Lapida II to build Vulcans.

It's rumoured that some of the tooling provided dates back to the original Northwind factory destroyed in the first months of the First Succession War, looted and then stored or used for other purposes over the centuries. Whether this is true or a misdirection as to Combine and League ability to construct new tooling, the Vulcan that marched off the new line was at first thought to be  a slighly modified VL-5T. It wasn't until the Tematagi factory updated to produce it that outside sources confirmed the VL-5K was an advanced Elemental hunter design, merely based on the VL-5T.


Capabilities:
The VL-5K maintains the triple medium laser array that replaces the original autocannon, but upgrades the original medium laser to a much larger extended range laser that restores long-range capability. Mechwarriors are advised to use this or the medium lasers but not both unless they are willing to accept a rapid rise in temperature.

Internally, the heatsinks have been significantly improved with advanced models (the Lapida factory has to import these from the FWL at the moment) but they still struggle to cope with the primarily energy based armament. Upgrading the armour of the Vulcan with ferrofibrous plating has allowed slight improvement of the plating around the slim torso - an all around upgrade given the risk of being swarmed by the Elementals it is intended to hunt.

The other major chance is reducing the ammunition payload and doubling up the left arm machinegun. This cuts endurance of the weapons sharply but given the short-range of the guns and that they are the only weapons installed that use ammunition, this is considered a trivial issue by the DCMS.


Deployment:
The VL-5K has been deployed exclusively to DCMS units along the Clan border and a handful of highly trusted units of the FWLM. It appears the Captain-General is hesitant to place new technology in the field until he has a sufficient number of advanced 'Mechs, something slowed by exports to realms facing the Clans.


================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      67 points                4.00
Engine:             Fusion Engine                240                      11.50
    Walking MP: 6
    Running MP: 9
    Jumping MP: 6 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 2 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT                                   3.00
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             10(20)                    0.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 1 RA
Gyro:               Standard                                               3.00
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor:              Ferro-Fibrous                AV -  89                  5.00
    Armor Locations: 5 LT, 5 RT, 2 LL, 2 RL

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            8         
                                        Center Torso     12           12       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  7         
                                           L/R Torso     10           10       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  5         
                                             L/R Arm     6            6         
                                             L/R Leg     10           10       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Medium Lasers                              RT        9         3         3.00
ER Large Laser                               LT        12        2         5.00
Flamer                                       RA        3         1         1.00
2 Machine Guns                               LA        0         2         1.00
@MG (1/2) (100)                              LT        -         1         0.50
                                            Free Critical Slots: 15

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      3    Points: 11
6j         3       2       1       0      2     1   Structure:  3
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA