Lucen Dacier

THR-1L Thunder. A cousin of the venerable Hunchback and Victor, this 70-ton 'Mech is primarily a short-range brawler. Though it carries an LRM-5 for long-range support, its real weaponry is the Autocannon/20 in the right arm and three Medium Pulse Lasers in the torso, letting it tear through any target at point-blank range. Double Heat Sinks and three tons of ammo mean it won't have to stop shooting until it's out of targets. Thirteen and a half tons of armor keep in protected as it closes the range, and a top speed of 86 kph means it will close the range faster than you expect. Other variants of the Thunder would swap out the AC-20 for anything from an LB 20-X to a Thunderbolt 20 to an Arrow IV launcher alongside Stealth armor.

Proud bearer of the "How Does That Even Work" badge, Thunder is short-ranged and lopsided. But Thunder is also a fearsome brawler to those it closes in on.

Who cares if you look funny. Given half a chance, you can knock someone's socks off.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

Kuma. A 60-ton Clan 'Mech, this has a top speed of 97 kph and a jump distance of 240 meters (8 hexes), courtesy of an XL engine paired with Improved Jump Jets. Sometimes called the "Charger IIC" for favoring speed over anything else, the Kuma's weapons are limited to a Heavy Large Laser and two ER Medium Lasers, which its heat sinks can barely keep up with. Of course the Heavy Large Laser is nothing to sneeze at, doing more damage than a Gauss Rifle. 10.5 tons of regular armor keep the Kuma moderated protected for its weight. Kuma was born of Clan Ghost Bear and the Free Rasalhague Republic taking the first shaky steps towards integrating into what would become the Ghost Bear Dominion. Although not as strong as most Clan Heavies, it would become a part of many light Stars in the Dominion.

Kuma is dismissed as weak, a Heavy without the expected firepower. But Kuma is an incredibly mobile, independent Heavy, born of enemies learning to work together.

Dare to be different. You might just find something special.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

LNG-1B Longshot. This 35-ton 'Mech uses an XL Engine to push up to top speed of 119 kph. This proved useful because contrary to its name, the Longshot is a short-range fighter. Paired SRM-6's, Medium Lasers, and Small Lasers let it take a big bite out of anything it can close in on. Just as deadly is the Narc Beacon launcher in the 'Mech's right arm, letting the pilot mark targets for the rest of his lancemates to pound on from a safer distance. Longshot pilots know to keep moving; 6 tons of armor is impressive for a light 'Mech, but that can go all too quickly if you get in over your head. This version of the Longshot did not make the splash the creators hoped it would in the Solaris VII circuit. Although it played well in team events, in one-on-one matches the Narc Beacon ended up being wasted weight. This led to the development of the LNG-2, which ditched the Narc Beacon in favor of Artemis IV fire control and X-Pulse lasers, as well as experimental Reactive Armor.

Longshot was a team player, and so was rejected by people trying to be heroes. But Longshot is a good knife-fighter that spots for its friends.

Everyone has their own definition of what is valuable. Don't let just anyone say you're not good enough.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

Bad ‘Mechs – Kuma | Sarna.net The Kuma was meant to be an olive branch between two vastly different cultures. It succeeded in creating peace, but mostly failed at making war.

www.sarna.net/news/bad-mec...

I'm only giving Sarna half-credit for finding a "Bad Mech" I haven't covered yet. Just last Friday I hit on another 'Mech that was the product of Ghost Bears adapting to the Inner Sphere.

#battletech

Ursus. This 50-ton Clan second line 'Mech has a top land speed of 65 kph, making it slow for a Clan Medium. It is strong in a fight however, with almost maximum armor, along with a set of lasers and missiles to give it something to shoot at almost any range. Double heat sinks mean it will run almost heat-neutral if you don't go nuts with the alpha strikes. Ursus came from the Ghost Bears using Inner Sphere technology to streamline their 'Mech production. The weapons and armor are Clan make, but much of the 'Mech's internals are made in the Inner Sphere. In many ways, one could see the Ursus as the first step of the Ghost Bears learning to work with the Inner Sphere that would one day become their home.

With mismatched parts and with a torso that made people go "WTF," Ursus stands out. Yet Ursus was a strong brawler born of enemies just starting to work together.

Even if it looks odd, building something with what you have can make something great.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

END-6Q Enfield. This 50-tonner has a top speed of 86.4 kph and 11 tons of armor, giving it the maximum possible protection for its size. An XL engine and Endo Steel structure free up enough weight for an impressive weapons package: an LB 10-X with two tons of ammo, a Large Pulse Laser, two Medium lasers, and an emotional support Small Laser just in case. 11 Double Heat Sinks mean you can alpha strike all you want. Enfield's plans were lost during the Succession Wars, to be found in 2870 but still remained out of production until 3055, when technology had finally caught up enough to be able to make its advanced parts. Being introduced when XL engines were still being figured out, Enfield carried a stigma of being fragile on the battlefield. Though its armor and CASE gave it far more staying power than other 'Mechs of its era. Curiously this stigma of fragility did not follow the Enfield's older companion 'Mech, the Enforcer, which was also upgraded to carry an XL engine.

Enfield fought to find a place. Lost, rediscovered, then dismissed for rumored fragility. But in truth Enfield was heavily armed and armored, able to hold its own on the battlefield.

Don't let people tell you that you are weak. Stand strong.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

TR1 Wraith. A 55-ton 'Mech, in many ways this is an upgraded Phoenix Hawk. A top speed of 119 kph and a jump distance of 210 meters (7 hexes) make it more agile than many light 'Mechs. 8.5 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor keep it protected against any shots that manage to find their mark. Meanwhile the 'Mech's array of pulse lasers - one Large, two Medium - ensure that after it closes on a target, it will be able to inflict damage quickly. Wraith has an odd combination of quirks: Ubiquitous and Difficult to Maintain. So you can find it anywhere, but it might not be working. Thankfully the manufacturer, Curtiss Hydrosystems, provides a good warranty on the 'Mech, and each new unit ships with many replacement parts.

Designed by a maker of water purifiers, no one expected the Wraith to be anything more than a stunt. But the 'Mech they got punched well above its weight.

Don't let someone tell you that you won't make it. Your background isn't your identity.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

Not going to make this a regular thing, but I forgot that the Defiance carries Triple-Strength Myomer, which its heat-heavy load is supposed to work with.

So I made a modified variant to hopefully make the Defiance closer to "Not Bad." Details in alt text.

#battletech

DFN-3S Defiance. At 75 tons, this heavy 'Mech has a top speed of 64 kph and 13.5 tons of armor, keeping it mobile and resilient on the battlefield. Often called a "Warhammer on steroids," the Defiance has the Warhammer's "something for every situation" weapon philosophy. The 'Mech has two ER PPCs and an LB 10-X Autocannon as its primary armament, backed up by twin ER Medium Lasers and an SRM-6. Two emotional support ER Small Lasers and a machine gun are around for close-in work. Watch the heat scale, though: the 'Mech's 12 double heat sinks struggle to handle the heat from all those guns. This led to a field modification so popular it ended up becoming an official factory configuration: the DFN-3T, which swaps the ER PPCs for regular PPCs. The Defiance also has a Warhammer-style searchlight on the shoulder for nighttime operations.

A derpy, overheated block of guns mired in politics, Defiance stumbled hard at the beginning. But when the Lyran Alliance was in danger, Defiance was there to hold the line.

You don't fail because you stumble. Keep moving and find your place.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

Supernova. This 90-ton Clan BattleMech was meant as a replacement for the King Crab. 14.5 tons of armor provide adequate protection, and a top speed of 54 kph supplemented with a 90-meter jump capacity give it decent mobility for its weight. The Supernova is armed with six Clan-grade Extended Range Large Lasers, letting the pilot bring a lot of pain without the need for ammo resupply. But watch the heat scale - 26 Double Heat Sinks struggle to keep the 'Mech from overheating. Volley fire is your friend here. The Supernova was made in 2846, back before OmniMechs even existed. It shows the Clans were still figuring out how to use their new technology and adapt their combat doctrines to fit it: the Supernova lacks the increased ground speed or quick-burn arsenals many Clan Assaults have. It also lacks an XL engine or advanced armor or structure, which makes it extremely easy to maintain...as far as Clan equipment goes, anyway.

Full of growing pains, Supernova is slow, overheated, and underarmored. Yet Supernova is also a straightforward, reliable design in the right hands.

Flaws don't disqualify you. They teach you how to use your strengths.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

Bad ‘Mechs – Albatross | Sarna.net This month's Bad 'Mech is the Albatross! Unlike an actual albatross, it can't fly, but it still has hollow bones—not the thing you want in an assault 'Mech.

And here's the Sarna article:

www.sarna.net/news/bad-mec...

Sorry, Sarna. Looks like I beat you to the punch on another "Bad 'Mechs" article.

#battletech

bsky.app/profile/luce...

Arbalest. A 25-ton 'Mech made by Clan Nova Cat in the time of the Jihad. With a pair of Clan-grade LRM-10s and ER Medium Lasers, it can bring far more firepower to the field than most 'Mechs in its weight class. But with a maximum speed of 86 kph and only 3.5 tons of armor, Arbalest has to rely on hit-and-run tactics to survive. Arbalest is a product of Clan Nova Cat needing to conserve their limited resources while also shoring up their second line forces. Although not the strongest fighter, it is also easy to mass produce, having a standard engine, structure, and armor. It proved popular enough that after the Jihad it can be found all over the Inner Sphere.

Lacking both armor and speed, Arbalest seems a death trap. Yet Arbalest let pilots bring firepower to the front lines against an enemy that seemed unstoppable.

Even when you feel like there's nothing to work with, you can still keep moving forward.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

In this case it's a requirement, there's not much room for weapons in the torso.

You'd almost be better off dropping a laser to put in one extra Double Heat Sink, but striking power is good, too.

P1 Perseus. This 75-ton OmniMech, nicknamed the "Omni-Orion," comes ready to fight. A 64 kph top speed keeps it respectably mobile, and 14 tons of armor keep it safe. It also comes with a whopping 39.5 tons of pod space. However, the bulky XL engine and Endo Steel structure take up an enormous amount of space in the body, forcing it to carry heavier weapons only in the arms. Furthermore, there is precious little space for more Double Heat Sinks, forcing pilots to get creative with loadouts. The Prime configuration has an LRM/20 and Ultra AC/10 in the arms as primary weapons, backed up by an SRM 4 in the center torso and four ER Medium Lasers in the legs, and a bonus ER Small Laser in the Head. Although this gave the 'Mech impressive firepower, pilots had to be manage their heat, as an alpha strike would quickly redline the 'Mech.

Perseus was handicapped by advanced equipment taking up critical space. Yet pilots who worked with the limitations found it a customizable, powerful Heavy.

Life often crams us into a space we don't fit. Rather than give up, find how to move forward.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

Good guess. But it's actually the right arm of a Ninja-To.

A.K.A. one of the most pointlessly oversized Large Laser barrels you will ever see.

Two missed Fridays in a year, hopefully I can be forgiven for being a little late due to holiday things happening!

TMC-NB Temax Cat Ninjabolt. Battletech’s version of Voltron or Megas XLR, this machine is a combination of an Axman, Tempest, Catapult, Ninja-To, and Thunderbolt. It somehow not only keeps working, but now offers Frontiertech adventure packages from people wanting to rent it. Though it does take extra time to understand how to control all the aftermarket changes. This 65-ton monstrosity has the Axman's top speed of 60 kph and its jump capacity of 120 meters. An ER Large Laser, Enhanced LRM-15, HV Autocannon 10, and a Medium Laser make up its offensive capabilities. 12 tons of armor keep it safe, but the 'Mech's real safety mechanism is its pilot, Larry Allen Barttelbort, a man who absolutely will not give up on it, no matter what new replacement parts need to get grafted on to keep it running.

Born of a crippled Axman, one makeshift repair after another made the famous Temax Cat Ninjabolt.

Life rarely follows your plan. What you end up with might look weird, but it might just be better than anything you could have planned on.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

OBK-M10 O-Bakemono. This 80-tonner is mostly a pair of Arrow IV launchers on legs. A maximum speed of 64 kph gives it average mobility, and 14 tons of armor keep it safe enough. But with only two Medium Lasers and a Small Laser for personal weapons, this 'Mech can find itself quickly overwhelmed. Keep it safe though, and it can bring its double Arrow IV's to bear, with fully 6 tons of ammo to unload on targets. Later variants would replace the Arrow IV's with huge MRM launchers, turning the O-Bakemono into a missile spam beast.

An 80-ton artillery platform, O-Bakemono is often overlooked for being weak in combat. Yet O-Bakemono can bring monstrous covering fire to any fight, trusting its lancemates to protect it.

Look out for your friends, and they will look out for you.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

GTL-1O Gauntlet. This 55-ton OmniMech was an evolution of the Bushwacker, coming from Archon Adam Steiner's desire for a medium OmniMech to honor the Lyran spirit. 21 tons of pod space allow for a flexible loadout. A 275 grade engine makes it reasonably fast, boosted by a built-in MASC, which the Prime variant boosts even further with a Supercharger. In addition to the Supercharger, the Prime configuration also carries a Heavy PPC and a Thunderbolt launcher, letting it land heavy hits from medium range. Other variants would mount missiles or just a truckload of Medium Lasers. The Gauntlet was stuck in development hell for almost 30 years, fighting technical issues and disapproval from the LCAF's generals. When it finally did come out, the regular LCAF units got plenty of mileage out of it.

The dream of Adam Steiner himself, Gauntlet was rejected by many generals of the LCAF. Yet Gauntlet was a well-loved striker OmniMech among the more "regular" units.

If you must choose between being popular and being good, being good is a success.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

MLN-1A Merlin. Made in 3010, this was the first completely new BattleMech design to be made in over 100 years. Weighing in at 60 tons, it has a top speed of 64 kph and a jump distance of 120 meters (4 hexes). A spiritual cousin to the Shadow Hawk and its "jack of all trades, master of none" design, the Merlin carries a PPC, 2 Medium lasers, an LRM-5, a machine gun, and a flamer. Ten and a half tons of armor keep it reasonably protected. The Merlin almost wasn't made, as the CEO of the manufacturer rejected the design. Fate stepped in, though. With that CEO's death and replacement by his son, the Merlin was revived. The design proved so successful that it saved Mountain Wolf BattleMechs from bankruptcy. Although uncommon among House units, Merlin is quite popular among mercenaries for its flexibility, cheap cost, and easy maintenance.

Merlin nearly died on the page for not being flashy. Yet Merlin proved a reliable multipurpose machine loved across the galaxy.

If you feel insignificant, remember the heroes are the reliable ones that show up, ready to do whatever is asked of them.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

#nanofree day 30: Finishing off the month with a relatively modest 2660 words written.

Which by my count gives me a total of 63418 words written in the month of November.

I'm sure for pros that's just a light month, but for me it's not half-bad. Calling it a win!

#nanofree day 29: 3175 words written. We'll see how the month finishes out tomorrow!

Lose the Sniper Cannon and maybe one of the PPCs, you could probably do it.

Tragically I am a day late on this "Friday" post, but hopefully I can be forgiven for getting scrambled up at the beginning of the holiday season.

Orca, a 200-ton Superheavy. The biggest 'Mech ever made, this monster carries the firepower of a whole Lance, as well as a Sniper artillery piece. A closely-kept secret, this 'Mech was never fielded as it proved too much for the pilot to control reliably. However, the development of the Orca spurred production of later, more useful Superheavies, such as the Poseidon and the Ares.

Orca was more powerful and dangerous than anything else. So much...that its pilot could not control it.

Let Orca be a lesson. Don't try to take everything on yourself. Don't be so focused on 'being powerful' that you're crushed under the weight.

#battletech #GoodFeelsFriday

#nanofree day 28: we're in the final haul here. 2311 words written today. See how many I can get in for this final weekend.

#nanofree day 27: only 1746 words written, but I did have the whole meal and family thing to do today.

I am at about 55,000 words for the month though, so either way I'm doing all right.

#nanofree day 26: 3769 words written. Which is a step down from the pace I had been doing over the weekend, but I am trying to figure out an ending scene that is effectively a post-it note saying "IDK, end goes here or something."