I have some ideas about custom Mechs, but before I want some feedback.
I post some crazy ideas and some serious ones. Honest opinions Please!!
And try to think about it first. I'll add designer notes or explainations to try to curb knee-jerk reactions :wink:

Comstar's prototype Mobile Artillery Platform

The general concept- Large Mech that shoots artillery shells across the board.
**think the Macross Monster/MAC II

Design pros
-Artillery shells could shoot a large distance for accurate damage.
-really cool model (if I can find one in scale) that would speak volumes of battlefield supremacy
-Multiple targets add to this units effectivness
-Close range Energy to keep units from basing
-AP to deal with armor SE

Desing cons (what makes it 'fair')
-Heat dial that could make Vikki look pushable
-Close range Energy doesn't prevent those pesky infantry from basing
-1" radius Pogs mean those hits have to hit.
-Last Pog-Nerf makes a 4 target 6 AP damage Mech less scary
-Huge point cost makes it not likely to replace your vee-artillery with this one.

Stats ro some hard numbers.
-Primary 4 targets Ballistic 6-10" range and Artillery range going out to 40"
-Secondary 2 targets Energy 0-8" range.
-Primary damage starts at 6AP and steady to a 2 just before Salvage.
-Secondary damage starts 4 and would last 80% of the dial.
-Slow speed of 5. Very stable with it ending at 3 at Salvage.
-AV starting at 10 and finishing off at 6 in Salvage.
-DV would be a staggering 24 with no SE. DV would drop like a stone until 19 in the first 6 clicks. Stables out and gets to 17 at the start of Salvage and 16 at the end of it's dial.
-3 clicks of Salvage.
-4 Repair markers.
-Heat dial would be very unique.
>> Lots of Black Squares. Mostly on movement. it's big and heavy. It doesn't run. Or charge.
>> Quite a smathering of Ballistic Jam Heat Effect. Yes, more black heat SE.
>> energy heat effects would feature very little modifiers, but would have a few Heat overload (Yellow) effects.
-Vent rating: 2
-Limited front arc of 90*
-Pogs 4 differant ones. 2 low dift, 2 higher dift. Each of the two would feature differant drift 'clocks' or drift direction. 3 Pogs feature 21 Target number, the one with the most drastic drift (hey 4 pogs at once can be hard) has a target number of 23.

Final cost target number somewhere in the 360-380 range. Mostly becuase of the long range. Heat dial should bring the cost way below that, but would ruin the design and feel of this unit.

Also what about the idea of Recon SE on movement? Would make getting this unit into a differant postion easier and would help prevent it from just being a non-moving piece.

Dicussion below.
Please no thrown pottery, and free psych tests are welcome.

I want to try a work out some kinks with how to do LAMs on Mech dials using existing rules for some ideas there next.

Sounds like an interesting 'Mech for specific scenarios, it certainly doesn't sound like a gamebreaker. Artillery can usually be countered with artillery units of your own, and 'Mech bases tend to be easier to hit. The high point cost will make people think twice before fielding it, you can field a conventional artillery unit and a tricked out assault 'Mech for the same point cost (assuming this artillery 'Mech will also have room for a pilot and gear cards).

I like how Vikki's dial was designed with a dedicated arty slot vs using your 6 AP primary.

Wait... no 'xpoldies? You'd think if you lit up an artillery mech with a PPC, you'd see some fireworks.

Base it on an ARES class (sounds like the size you are going for).

I also think you should go with a single type of drift. I think being able to pick your drift per pog is too great an advantage (and could slow things down even more). That's just my 2 cents.

Fun idea, though! ;)

I remember taking 2 useless DF Forestry mech mods and ripping the gun arms off, I then made the Tundra Wolf LOOK like what its suppose to look like...it was pretty cool. Painting figures is always fun to.

you got any pics of that Tundra Wolf by any chance Gren?

Wow,,,when did a DF Forestry Mech Mod become useless? You get a lot for 100 points. One of the best ICE mechs IMHO!! ;)

My son was an avid DF player, and he used that little mech to great effect when he played. Once in a fun game I said he could put a pilot in it, and Katana then proceeded to saw my RotS Mangonel in half in just a few turns. Ouch!

Still I would like to see how your mod turned out!

As would I. But I posted this here for more traffic. The only pictures you can post are in the Creative Corner.
http://www.cmgrealms.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=24
But traffic is a little slow there. But I'm there and I would love to see this Tundra Wolf! BTW I loved the Tundra Wolf. What was wrong with either sculpt? Please start a thread and show us!!

@ BigBro911,
I hadn't thought about adding exploding heat effects. I was thinking the black "Weapon Jam" and not being able to shoot was more disabling to the unit, than the possability of self damage and still be able to fire.

-maybe it has inhanced CASE to protect those large artillery shells from heat, damage, and Inferno rounds?

Pssht Its useless to a clanner. I was the first SW player at my venue, Kendrick really destroyed the traditional CBA/Hoverbike formations a lot of the other guys used.

Alas, I do not have a pic because my collection was left (By accident) In Florida when I moved back to Chicago a few years back. next time I go to visit though (sometime this summer) i intend on bringing it back with me.

Gren Ward, have you never heard of isorla? Captured military hardware does have its use, you know. Nothing beats using a combat vehicle or 'Mech against its former owners.

Found the Mech I'm going to get to put on a dial for this Artillery Mech.

I was going to add it this post but I see besides only adding pictures to posts, you can only add attachments in the Creative Corner.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...h/b645262e.jpg

Mech on the left. Kind of a Super Deformed Destroid MAC II/Macross Monster. Cockpit and stance make it look like a cool BattleTech piece. Those legs might be a little to 'anime'. Meaning the legs have a more life-like look and pose as oppossed to a more war-machine look.

I think the only trouble I see with a 6 damage, 40 inch and 4 target artillary mech is it's ability to devastate opposing artilly. Speaking as a bannson player, if a mech like that was fielded against an ary with BR Long Tom's or even teh beloved Kenny, they would never get a shot off. 1 inch blast thats acruate is pretty useful for busting up dropped vehicles and artillary, and teh 6 damage is SICK! (one six dmg hit on any BR artillary kills it, dead)

I think thats the only flaw I can think of. it makes mechs move, but thats not seirous. If a player decides to bring, say 2 paladins and a couple long toms though... they may as well go home. Even the mighty liao Palidin isn't very healthy after a 6 damage hit... and thats 24 damage more or less gaurenteed in one round!

Really cool idea, but I don't think MW has a place for it. Still, it might be fun to play test, just for fun :)

That's what I was looking for. Another opinion.
Going to rework it. I have time since the compnay that was going to get me that set from Japan didn't get all of thier order :( None for LordNth :(
And last I saw that one figure from the set was going for almost twice what the set was.

The more I think of it, 6 damage out to 40" is way too much. Maybe a gear or pilot SA that would allow the long range weapon to fire that far, but at a cost of damage? Or just a reduced damage (and cost) to the whole unit?
Ah the ideas....

What are the artillery rules now? I haven't kept up on the rule changes and artillery seemed to change weekly at one point. Would be easier to give suggestions if I knew current set up.

I would say that 6 damage is too much for any artillery. I think the highest I have seen is on the Liao Arrow IV Artillery something or other. Not sure if I've seen an artillery unit with 4 pogs either. Other than the Liao Pallidan, I think artillery with more than 2 pogs only deal 1 damage. So a mech with 4 at 3 damage would still be a bit insane but may not need to be butchered as bad as your original thought. That would be my thought on targets to damage.

The standard 2 damage for larger artillery doesn't seem enough for what your B-52 on legs is intended. 4 damage would destroy anything small and many medium units. Large vehicles and mediums mechs would take a couple hits. H/A mechs would probably take three hits. By destroy I mean drop their stats so they reseble peasent companies.

P - 3 3 3 3 3 3 - 2 2 2 2 2 2 - 2 2 0 0 0 *6-12 (12-40)
S - 4 4 4 4 4 4 - 3 3 3 3 3 3 - 3 3 0 0 0 * E 0-8
M - 5 5 5 5 5 4 - 4 4 4 4 4 4 - 4 4 3 3 3 *
A - 10 10 10 9 9 9 - 8 8 8 8 8 7 - 7 7 6 6 6 *
D - 24 23 22 21 20 19 - 19 19 19 18 18 18 - 18 17 17 16 16 *
1 3 6 9 12 15 18
What comes to my mind after mixing your idea with my take
Looks mean

There's my rambling thoughts on your design.

TY.
I like your idea. And while the wind was taken out of my sail with the loss of the figure, the project has been forgotten.